http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bmdo-00zzze.html

Sunnyvale - Nov. 21, 2000 -- Ongoing risk mitigation efforts proved successful for a Lockheed Martin-led Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) team when they recently conducted a second successful test firing of a representative boost-motor at the United Technologies Corp./ Pratt & Whitney - Chemical Systems Division (CSD) facility located in San Jose, CA.

According to program officials, all test objectives were met, demonstrating performance of the motor design at minimum operating temperature conditions (-32°C) after exposure to temperature shock cycling.

In preparation for the test, the motor was exposed to three temperature shock cycles between the lowest and highest expected temperatures required for fielding.

During a previous test in June, the boost-motor was successfully static fired at -32° C without temperature shock cycling. Additionally, these tests provided critical insight into boost-motor aging characteristics.

This latest test significantly reduces risk to the THAAD Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) Program by demonstrating early on that the baseline boost-motor design can meet the worst-case EMD operating and non-operating temperature conditions.

THAAD EMD engineering work will be performed at the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Sunnyvale, CA and Huntsville, AL facilities under the program direction of Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control, Dallas, TX.

The THAAD program is managed by the BMDO and executed by the U.S. Army Program Executive Office, Air and Missile Defense, and the U.S. Army THAAD Project Manager in Huntsville, AL.