AJ-60A

AJ-60A
	An AJ-60A booster, without nosecone attached, being fitted to an Atlas V
Manufacturer	Aerojet Rocketdyne
Country of origin	USA
Used on	Atlas V
General characteristics
Height	17.0 m (669 in)
Diameter	1.6 m (62 in)
Gross mass	46,697 kg (102,949 lb)
Engine details
Maximum thrust	1,688.4 kN (379,600 lbf)
Burn time	94 seconds
Propellant	HTPB

AJ-60A is a

strap-on boosters on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V

rocket.

History

The AJ-60A rocket motor was developed between 1999 and 2003 for use on the Atlas V.[1]

On January 19, 2006 the New Horizons spacecraft to Pluto was launched directly into a solar-escape trajectory at 16.26 kilometers per second (58,536 km/h; 36,373 mph) from Cape Canaveral using an Atlas V version with 5 of these SRBs and Star 48B third stage.^[2] New Horizons passed the Moon's orbit in just nine hours.^[3]^[4]

In 2015, ULA announced that the Atlas V will switch to new

Vulcan rocket.)^[5] The first Atlas V launched with GEM 63 boosters on November 13, 2020.^[6]

Design

AJ-60A is a solid fueled rocket burning

nosecone, but it is available with a conventional nosecone or none at all for use on other rockets. The stages are designed to be transported by truck.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b "Atlas V Solid Rocket Booster". Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
^ Scharf, Caleb A. (February 25, 2013). "The Fastest Spacecraft Ever?". Scientific American. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
^ Neufeld, Michael (July 10, 2015). "First Mission to Pluto: The Difficult Birth of New Horizons". Smithsonian. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
^ "New Horizons: Mission Overview" (PDF). International Launch Services. January 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 9, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
^ Jason Rhian (23 September 2015). "ULA selects Orbital ATK's GEM 63/63 XL SRBs for Atlas V and Vulcan boosters". Spaceflight Insider. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
^ Northrop Grumman Ships GEM 63 Engines to United Launch Alliance For Atlas V July 2020
^ ^a ^b "Atlas V User's Guide 2010" (PDF). 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2016.

[aj-1] "Atlas V Solid Rocket Booster". Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2016.

[sciam20130225-2] Scharf, Caleb A. (February 25, 2013). "The Fastest Spacecraft Ever?". Scientific American. Retrieved July 12, 2017.

[airspace20150710-3] Neufeld, Michael (July 10, 2015). "First Mission to Pluto: The Difficult Birth of New Horizons". Smithsonian. Retrieved April 21, 2018.

[ils200601-4] "New Horizons: Mission Overview" (PDF). International Launch Services. January 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 9, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2018.

[5] Jason Rhian (23 September 2015). "ULA selects Orbital ATK's GEM 63/63 XL SRBs for Atlas V and Vulcan boosters". Spaceflight Insider. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.

[6] Northrop Grumman Ships GEM 63 Engines to United Launch Alliance For Atlas V July 2020

[AtlasUsersGuide2010-7] "Atlas V User's Guide 2010" (PDF). 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2016.

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]