Orbital to fly new rocket with old Russian engines

"Orbital Sciences Corp. is set to fly its newest
and biggest rocket for the first time next month,
a spokesman said.

The Dulles, Virginia-based company plans
launch the medium-class Antares rocket
between April 16 and April 18 from Wallops
Island, Virginia, according to spokesman
Barron Beneski. A date and time will be
announced closer to launch.

The two-stage booster, initially developed for
the defense market, is flying its maiden flight
as part of a test mission for the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration. After
retiring its shuttle fleet in 2011, NASA has
turned to the private sector and companies
such as Orbital and SpaceX to resupply the
International Space Station. Orbital has a
$1.9 billion contract with the agency for at
least eight cargo missions to the orbital
outpost."

"The rocket for its first stage uses two
liquid-fuel AJ26 engines, made by Aerojet,
part of California-based GenCorp Inc. They’re
modified versions of the NK-33s built in
Russia more than four decades ago for its
moon program, which was later canceled.
Aerojet bought about 40 NK-33 engines in the
mid-1990s and, under a contract with Orbital,
modified them specifically for Antares,
according to Aerojet. The second-stage of the
rocket uses a solid-fuel engine made by
Arlington, Virginia-based Alliant Techsystems
Inc."

See:

http://defensetech.org/2013/03/21/or...ssian-engines/