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Article: Rocket motor test is a boost for ATK.
- Article from:
- The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, UT)
- Article date:
- November 17, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 The Salt Lake Tribune. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Steven Oberbeck
Nov. 17--PROMONTORY -- The rocket motor roared to life, lighting up the night sky Thursday with a blinding flame and sending a cloud of exhaust and dust thousands of feet into the air.
The rare night test of the Alliant Techsystems rocket motor, nearly identical in design to those used to help lift the space shuttle into orbit, went off with barely a hitch, although for a time the test was threatened by unfavorable wind conditions.
When the motor was finally lit, it burned for 124 seconds and generated 15.4 million horsepower before a crowd of thousands.
Inside ATK's control center in an underground bunker less ...