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Aerojet Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of L3Harris Technologies, recently achieved a significant milestone in the development of advanced propulsion systems critical to U.S. national security. The company successfully hot-fired the Zeus 2 solid rocket motor at its Camden, Arkansas facility. Developed in collaboration with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, the Zeus 2 motor is designed to support various testing requirements, including hypersonic, ballistic missile defense, and suborbital applications.

Following a similar test of the smaller Zeus 1 motor in 2023, the recent hot firing of the Zeus 2 motor marks a significant advancement. The Zeus 2 motor, nearly twice the size of its predecessor, demonstrates enhanced performance capabilities. These motors are slated for use by the U.S. Department of Defense to facilitate hypersonic vehicle and ballistic missile defense testing, among other critical applications.

Ross Niebergall, President of Aerojet Rocketdyne, emphasized the importance of the Zeus program in modernizing and cost-effectively enhancing systems vital to national security. He highlighted the company's commitment to delivering advanced large solid rocket motors in partnership with Kratos.

Under contract to Kratos, Aerojet Rocketdyne is tasked with the development, manufacturing, and delivery of nine additional Zeus motors. Eric DeMarco, President and CEO of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, expressed satisfaction with the successful completion of the Zeus 1 and Zeus 2 solid rocket motor development program. He underscored Kratos' investment in introducing a new family of Zeus SRMs, enabling rapid and affordable hypersonic testing.

The Zeus motors, designed to replace legacy suborbital rocket motors, offer increased performance while maintaining compatibility with existing rocket designs and infrastructure. This enhancement allows for faster, farther, and more frequent flights, benefiting space and defense research customers.

The motors, designed by Aerojet Rocketdyne in Huntsville, were cast and test-fired at the company’s manufacturing site in Camden, Arkansas. Chandra Hooker, Camden Site Director, emphasized the capability of the Rocket Test facilities to conduct rigorous in-house testing, ensuring safety, reliability, and performance validation.

With more than 6,000 hot fire tests conducted annually at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Camden site, the successful testing of the Zeus 2 solid rocket motor reaffirms the company's commitment to advancing propulsion technology for critical defense applications.