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100-489: Construction began in 2008 by Northrop Grumman 's Ship System Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The keel was laid on July 20, 2009. The cutter's sponsor is Michelle Obama , who is the first First Lady to sponsor a Coast Guard cutter. On 23 July 2010 Michelle Obama christened the cutter in a ceremony at the ship builder's. In August 2011, Stratton completed sea trials . On September 2, 2011 Stratton

200-494: A Herndon mailing address ), works on "the entire life cycle of civil and defense platforms and capabilities through a range of services". Vinnell , a Northrop Grumman subsidiary, provides training and communications for the military. In 2003, it landed a $ 48 million contract to train the Iraqi Army . In 2005, the company won a $ 2 billion contract with Virginia to overhaul most of the state's IT operations. Later that year,

300-493: A semi-submersible loaded with approximately 16,000 pounds of cocaine. Stratton was able to offload more than 12,000 pounds worth an estimated $ 181 million before the craft sank. It is estimated to be the largest such seizure of its kind. In July 2015, Insitu UAS demonstrated how ScanEagle can maximize the effectiveness of USCG vessels, the exercise also showcased the platform's ability to conduct seamless, concurrent aviation operations with crewed aircraft. On June 13, 2019,

400-517: A common core stage design but differ in their upper stages and boosters. Together with the solid rocket boosters, the core stage is responsible for propelling the upper stage and payload out of the atmosphere to near orbital velocity. It contains the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks for the ascent phase, the forward and aft solid rocket booster attach points, avionics, and the Main Propulsion System (MPS), an assembly of

500-406: A flight, the rocket would have continued to fly normally. There was no sign of damage to the core stage or the engines, contrary to initial concerns. The second fire test was completed on 18 March 2021, with all four engines igniting, throttling down as expected to simulate in-flight conditions, and gimballing profiles. The core stage was shipped to Kennedy Space Center to be mated with the rest of

600-401: A joint venture, which grew "from $ 100 million in revenue in 2000 to approximately $ 500 million in fiscal year 2007." In 2000, NG acquired Federal Data Corporation, Navia Aviation As, Comptek Research, Inc., and Sterling Software, Inc. In 2001, the company acquired Litton Industries , a shipbuilder and defense electronics systems provider for the U.S. Navy . During the acquisition process,

700-454: A journalist, a NASA spokesperson did not deny this per-flight cost estimate. The NASA Office of Inspector General has conducted several audits of the SLS program. A November 2021 report estimated that, at least for the first four launches of Artemis program, the per-launch production and operating costs would be $ 2.2 billion for SLS, plus $ 568 million for Exploration Ground Systems . Additionally,

800-524: A missile attack on the cutter. The Stratton returned to Alameda California on November 22, 2019, during the 162-day patrol the cutter visited ports in Fiji, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense company. With 95,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $ 30 billion, it

900-503: A modified solid rocket booster with lighter casing, more energetic propellant, and four segments instead of five, and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and Dynetics proposed a liquid-fueled booster named Pyrios . However, this competition was planned for a development plan in which Block 1A would be followed by Block 2A, with upgraded boosters. NASA canceled Block 1A and the planned competition in April 2014, in favor of simply remaining with

1000-715: A new intercontinental ballistic missile . As of the end of 2022, Northrop Grumman organized its business around four main sectors, each of which comprises two or more business areas: Aeronautics Systems, headquartered in Redondo Beach, California , at the historic Space Park , produces aircraft, spacecraft, high-energy laser systems and microelectronics for the U.S. and other nations. This includes surveillance and reconnaissance, protected communications, intelligence, battle management, strike operations, electronic warfare, to missile defense, Earth observation, space science and space exploration. The B-2 Spirit strategic bomber,

1100-467: A new Delaware holding company, NNG, Inc. , was formed, which merged with Northrop Grumman through a one-for-one common shares exchange in April 2001. Both Northrop Grumman and Litton became subsidiaries of the new holding company. The original Northrop Grumman Corporation then changed its name to "Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation"; the holding company, NNG, Inc., changed its name to "Northrop Grumman Corporation". Later that year, Newport News Shipbuilding

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1200-459: A parachute recovery system, as they will not be recovered after launch. The propellants for the solid rocket boosters are aluminum powder, which is very reactive, and ammonium perchlorate, a powerful oxidizer. They are held together by a binder, polybutadiene acrylonitrile (PBAN). The mixture has the consistency of a rubber eraser and is packed into each segment. The five-segment solid rocket boosters provide approximately 25% more total impulse than

1300-460: A projected development cost of US$ 18 billion through 2017, with $ 10 billion for the SLS rocket, $ 6 billion for the Orion spacecraft , and $ 2 billion for upgrades to the launch pad and other facilities at Kennedy Space Center . These costs and schedules were considered optimistic in an independent 2011 cost assessment report by Booz Allen Hamilton for NASA. An internal 2011 NASA document estimated

1400-624: A test flight in fall 2022, and NASA and Boeing are constructing the next three rockets for Artemis II , Artemis III , and Artemis IV . Boeing stated in July 2021 that while the COVID-19 pandemic had affected their suppliers and schedules, such as delaying parts needed for hydraulics, they would still be able to provide the Artemis II SLS core stage per NASA's schedule, with months to spare. The spray-on foam insulation process for Artemis II

1500-543: A total of $ 70 million, and the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle, funded from 2006 to 2010 for a total of $ 4.8 billion in development, including the 5-segment Solid Rocket Boosters used on the SLS. The SLS was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 , Public Law 111–267, in which NASA was directed to create a system for launching payloads and crew into space that would replace

1600-697: A variant with five main engines, a Block 1A variant with upgraded boosters instead of the improved second stage, and a Block 2 with five main engines plus the Earth Departure Stage , with up to three J-2X engines. In the initial announcement of the design of the SLS, NASA also announced an "Advanced Booster Competition", to select which boosters would be used on Block 2 of the SLS. Several companies proposed boosters for this competition, all of which were indicated as viable: Aerojet and Teledyne Brown proposed three booster engines each with dual combustion chambers, Alliant Techsystems proposed

1700-511: Is a temporary upper stage for Block 1 versions of SLS, built by United Launch Alliance , a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin . The ICPS is essentially an "off-the-shelf" Delta Cryogenic Second Stage , with minimal modifications for SLS integration. The ICPS is intended as a temporary solution and slated to be replaced on the Block 1B version of the SLS by the next-generation Exploration Upper Stage, under design by Boeing. The ICPS used on

1800-656: Is developing a new composite-based fuel tank for the EUS that would increase Block 1B's overall payload mass capacity to TLI by 40 percent. The improved upper stage was originally named the Dual Use Upper Stage (DUUS, pronounced "duce"), but was later renamed the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). During the joint Senate-NASA presentation in September 2011, it was stated that the SLS program had

1900-787: Is forecasted to enter test flights as early as late 2023, with the United States Air Force forecasted to acquire operational aircraft as early as 2030. It was reported in October 2023 that taxi tests for the B-21 Raider were underway. In May 2024, Northrop Grumman unveiled the Manta Ray, an underwater drone developed for the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA). The drone, which resembles its namesake sea creature,

2000-540: Is its builder. The first one cost $ 60 million, and the next two cost $ 85 million together. The Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) is planned to first fly on Artemis IV . The EUS will complete the SLS ascent phase and then re-ignite to send its payload to destinations beyond LEO. It is expected to be used by Block 1B and Block 2. The EUS shares the core stage diameter of 8.4 meters, and will be powered by four RL10 C-3 engines. It will eventually be upgraded to use four improved RL10 C-X engines. As of March 2022 , Boeing

2100-477: Is made mostly of 2219 aluminum alloy , and contains numerous improvements to manufacturing processes, including friction stir welding for the barrel sections, and integrated milling for the stringers . The first four flights will each use and expend four of the remaining sixteen RS-25D engines previously flown on Space Shuttle missions. Aerojet Rocketdyne refits these engines with modernized engine controllers, higher throttle limits, as well as insulation for

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2200-576: Is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military technology providers. The firm ranked No. 101 on the 2022 Fortune 500 list of America's largest corporations. Northrop Grumman and its industry partners have won the Collier Trophy nine times, most recently for the development and production of the James Webb Space Telescope , an orbiting observatory launched in 2021. Northrop Grumman leads

2300-492: The Ares I 's five-segment solid rocket boosters, themselves modified from the Space Shuttle 's solid rocket boosters, until at least the late 2020s. The overly powerful advanced booster would have resulted in unsuitably high acceleration, and would need modifications to Launch Complex 39B , its flame trench, and Mobile Launcher . On 31 July 2013, the SLS passed Preliminary Design Review. The review included not only

2400-1056: The B-1 Lancer . Mission Systems produces and maintains the AWACS aerial surveillance systems for the U.S., the United Kingdom , NATO, Japan, and others. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the development and integration of the Air Force's $ 2-billion Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program . Northrop Grumman also supports the U.S. ballistic missile program, integrates various command, control and intelligence systems, and provides technical and management services, to governmental and military customers, all with an emphasis on cybersecurity. Many other smaller products are made by Northrop Grumman, such as night vision goggles and secure communications equipment. The Defense Systems sector, headquartered in McLean, Virginia (with

2500-590: The Constellation Program , including tests at low and high core temperatures, to validate performance at extreme temperatures. The 5-segment solid rocket booster would be carried over to SLS. Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems has completed full-duration static fire tests of the five-segment solid rocket boosters. Qualification Motor 1 was tested on 10 March 2015. Qualification Motor 2 was successfully tested on 28 June 2016. NASA has been reluctant to provide an official per-flight cost estimate for

2600-540: The Cygnus spacecraft. Until 2020 the firm was developing the OmegA space launch vehicle, intended to carry the U.S. government's national security satellites into space. With Northrop Grumman's reorganization of its divisions effective January 1, 2020, NGIS was split, with most of the sector merging with other Northrop Grumman businesses into a new Space Systems sector. On August 8, 2022, Northrop Grumman announced it

2700-770: The E-8C Joint STARS surveillance aircraft , the RQ-4 Global Hawk , and the T-38 Talon supersonic trainer are used by the US Air Force . The US Army uses Northrop Grumman's RQ-5 Hunter unmanned air vehicle, which has been in operational use since 1995. The U.S. Navy uses Northrop Grumman-built aerial vehicles such as the BQM-74 Chukar , RQ-4 Global Hawk-based MQ-4C Triton , MQ-8 Fire Scout , Grumman C-2 Greyhound , Grumman E-2 Hawkeye , and

2800-1054: The EA-6B Prowler . Northrop Grumman provides major components and assemblies for different aircraft, such as the F/A-18 Hornet , the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet , the EA-18G Growler , and the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II . Aerospace systems also serves as the contractor for numerous space payloads and is the prime contractor for the James Webb Space Telescope . Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, headquartered in Linthicum, Maryland , creates military radar, sensors, and related products, including C4I radar systems for air defense , Airspace Management radar systems such as AMASS , and battlefield surveillance systems like

2900-666: The Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The first three SLS flights are expected to use the Block 1 configuration, comprising a core stage , extended Space Shuttle boosters developed for Ares I and the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) upper stage. The improved Block 1B configuration, with the powerful and purpose-built Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), is planned to be introduced on

3000-723: The Northrop Corporation was reincorporated in Delaware in 1985. Northrop made a series of light-weight fighter aircraft such as the F-5 , YF-17 , and F-20. However, Northrop was best known for it experimental flying wing aircraft, the XB-35 and YB-49 of the late 1940s and early 1950s. These flying wing aircraft, while unsuccessful, would pave the way for the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, on which Northrop

3100-558: The Orion spacecraft on the SLS, the Artemis II mission , no earlier than September 2025. Included in the above SLS costs above are (1) the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) , a $ 412 million contract and (2) the costs of developing the Exploration Upper Stage (below). Excluded from the SLS cost above are the costs to assemble, integrate, prepare and launch the SLS and its payloads, funded separately in

USCGC Stratton - Misplaced Pages Continue

3200-892: The Stratton departed for a Western Pacific patrol in support of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command where the cutter would operate under tactical control of the United States Seventh Fleet commander. During this patrol, the Stratton would enforce United Nations Security Council resolutions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , combat illegal fishing , conduct capacity-building exercises with navies and coast guards, and would also participate in various military exercises and training's, including Maritime Training Activity Malaysia 2019, Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training Indonesia 2019, and Exercise Talisman Saber . During Exercise Talisman Saber

3300-496: The United Kingdom paid $ 1.2 billion in a contract with the company to provide maintenance of its AWACS radar. On June 7, 2018, the acquisition of Orbital ATK was completed, and the former company was absorbed in Northrop Grumman as a new business sector called Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. With this acquisition, Northrop Grumman got more involved in the space industry, including the construction and launch of

3400-490: The $ 11.9 billion spent on the SLS as of August 2018. By 2021, development of the core stage was expected to have cost $ 8.9 billion, twice the initially planned amount. In December 2018, NASA estimated that yearly budgets for the SLS will range from $ 2.1 to $ 2.3 billion between 2019 and 2023. In March 2019, the Trump administration released its fiscal year 2020 budget request for NASA, which notably proposed dropped funding for

3500-1256: The Airborne Reconnaissance Low (ARL). Tactical aircraft sensors include the AN/APG-68 radar, the AN/APG-80 AESA radar, and the AN/APG-83 AESA radar upgrade for the F-16 Fighting Falcon , the AN/APG-77 AESA radar for the F-22 Raptor , and the AN/APG-81 AESA radar for the F-35 Lightning II, and the AN/AAQ-37 electro-optical Distributed Aperture System (DAS) for the F-35, and the APQ-164 Passive Electronically Scanned Array (PESA) radar for

3600-775: The Antares rocket, which will be known as the Antares 330 . Northrop will provide the A330s upper stage, avionics, software and launch site operations. Firefly will supply seven engines and build the A330s largest structure, the first stage booster. Northrop and Firefly will also jointly develop the MLV. Remotec, a Tennessee-based subsidiary, is a manufacturer of remote control vehicles for explosive ordnance disposal and hazardous material handling. A UK-based subsidiary, Park Air Systems, provides VHF and UHF ground-to-air communications systems for

3700-687: The Artemis I mission was powered by a single RL10B-2 engine, while the ICPS for Artemis II and Artemis III will use the RL10 C-2 variant. Block 1 is intended to be capable of lifting 209,000 lb (95 t) to low Earth orbit (LEO) in this configuration, including the weight of the ICPS as part of the payload. At the time of SLS core stage separation, Artemis I was travelling on an initial 1,806 by 30 km (1,122 by 19 mi) transatmospheric orbital trajectory. This trajectory ensured safe disposal of

3800-550: The Block 1B and Block 2 variants of SLS. Congressional action ultimately included the funding in the passed budget. One Gateway component that had been previously planned for the SLS Block 1B is expected to fly on the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. On 1 May 2020, NASA awarded a contract extension to Aerojet Rocketdyne to manufacture 18 additional RS-25 engines with associated services for $ 1.79 billion, bringing

3900-700: The Colombian jungle. The fourth employee, Tom Janis, had been killed by the FARC shortly after the crash in 2003. In January 2008, Northrop Grumman combined its Newport News and Ship Systems sectors into a new business unit named Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. On March 31, 2011, this was spun off as Huntington Ingalls Industries , Inc. ( NYSE :  HII ). In November 2010, NASA selected Northrop Grumman for consideration of potential contract awards for heavy lift launch vehicle system concepts, and propulsion technologies. From 2013, Northrop Grumman participates in

4000-603: The DARPA Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) program, and received $ 2.9 million for Phase 1 and $ 19 million for Phase 2. The TERN program attempts to launch and recover a UAV from mid-size ships to provide long distance intelligence gathering. In July 2013, Northrop Grumman won a training-simulation contract potentially worth $ 490 million to support the U.S. Air Force 's next-generation aerial warfare virtual-training network. As of 2018, Northrop Grumman became

4100-689: The Department of Defense and Department of Justice. That same year, it acquired Inter-National Research Institute Inc. In 1999, the company acquired Teledyne Ryan , developer of surveillance systems and unmanned aircraft, California Microwave, Inc., and the Data Procurement Corporation. On March 19, 1999, Northrop Grumman revised its fourth-quarter results to a net loss because of problems related to its dealings with start-up satellite launch company Kistler Aerospace Corp. In 1999, Northrop Grumman and SAIC created AMSEC LLC as

USCGC Stratton - Misplaced Pages Continue

4200-850: The Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter (DRASH) in New York, as part of the U.S. Army's Standard Integrated Command Post System program. Northrop Grumman can trace its lineage back to the beginning of the 20th century when the Grumman Corporation was founded on Long Island , New York. Here, Leroy R. Grumman established the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation in December 1929. By 1939, the company has expanded and relocated to Bethpage, New York. During World War II

4300-566: The EUS with upgraded boosters. The ICPS for Artemis 1 was delivered by ULA to NASA about July 2017 and was housed at Kennedy Space Center as of November 2018. In mid-November 2014, construction of the first core stage hardware began using a new friction stir welding system in the South Vertical Assembly Building at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility . Between 2015 and 2017, NASA test fired RS-25 engines in preparation for use on SLS. The core stage for

4400-592: The European Vinci instead of the RL10 , which offered the same specific impulse but with 64% greater thrust, which would allow for the same performance at a lower cost. In 2018, Blue Origin submitted a proposal to replace the EUS with a cheaper alternative to be designed and fabricated by the company, but it was rejected by NASA in November 2019 on multiple grounds; these included lower performance compared to

4500-564: The Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI). From 1990 to 2003, before the merger with Grumman in 1994, Kent Kresa was the CEO of the company, who led the serial-acquisition strategy with a total of 15 additional acquisitions from 1994 to 2003, including Litton , Logicon , Westinghouse 's defense electronics business, Ryan Aeronautical and Newport News Shipbuilding , and TRW. He then retired in 2003 at age 65. In 2003 Ronald Sugar ,

4600-400: The NASA Exploration Ground Systems , currently at about $ 600 million per year, and anticipated to stay there through at least the first four launches of SLS. Also excluded are payloads that launch on the SLS, such as the Orion crew capsule, the predecessor programs that contributed to the development of the SLS, such as the Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle project, funded from 2008 to 2010 for

4700-419: The NASA Office of Inspector General has called NASA's cost savings goals highly unrealistic and other potential government customers have made it clear they have no interest in using SLS. As of 2020 , three SLS versions are planned: Block 1, Block 1B, and Block 2. Each will use the same Core stage with its four main engines, but Block 1B will feature the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), and Block 2 will combine

4800-425: The SLS program passed its Key Decision Point C review and was deemed ready to enter full development, costs from February 2014 until its planned launch in September 2018 were estimated at $ 7.021 billion. Ground systems modifications and construction would require an additional $ 1.8 billion over the same time. In October 2018, NASA's Inspector General reported that the Boeing core stage contract had made up 40% of

4900-412: The SLS program was stated to have a 70% confidence level for the first Orion flight that carries crew , the second SLS flight overall, to happen by 2023; as of November 2021 , NASA delayed Artemis II from 2023 to May 2024. In March 2023, NASA announced they had delayed Artemis II to November 2024 and in January 2024 the mission was further delayed to September 2025. Efforts have been made to expand

5000-402: The SLS. However, independent agencies, such as the White House Office of Management and Budget and the NASA Office of Inspector General , have offered their own estimates. A White House Office of Management and Budget letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee in October 2019 estimated that SLS's total cost to the taxpayer was estimated at "over $ 2 billion" per launch. When questioned by

5100-440: The Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters. The stock of SLS Block 1 to 1B boosters is limited by the number of casings left over from the Shuttle program, which allows for eight flights of the SLS. On 2 March 2019, the Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension program was announced, with the goal of developing new solid rocket boosters for SLS Block 2. These boosters will be built by Northrop Grumman Space Systems , and will be derived from

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5200-487: The acquisition was approved by Orbital ATK stockholders and on June 6, 2018, the merger closed after final FTC approval. The acquired company assets and naming were absorbed and become a division named Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. In June 2020, NASA granted a $ 935 million contract to Northrop Grumman for the Lunar Gateway Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module, based on its Cygnus cargo spacecraft. In July 2022, Northrop subcontracted Solstar to provide

5300-451: The break in Antares manufacturing caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But in addition to salvaging the Antares rocket series, the cost-sharing deal also helps ensure NASA's cargo missions to the International Space Station keep flying regularly and brings muscle to Firefly's plan to build a larger rocket called Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV). Northrop Grumman and Firefly Aerospace will jointly produce an upgraded version of

5400-481: The capabilities lost with the retirement of the Space Shuttle . The act set out certain goals, such as being able to lift 70–100 tons into low earth orbit with evolvability to 130 tons, a target date of 31 December 2016 for the system to be fully operational, and a directive to use "to the extent practicable" existing components, hardware, and workforce from the Space Shuttle and from Ares I . On 14 September 2011, NASA announced their plan to meet these requirements:

5500-421: The civil and defense markets. Northrop Grumman has also worked closely with Antenna Associates, Inc., a manufacturer of Identification friend or foe (IFF)/ Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) antennas located in Massachusetts. In August 2007, Northrop Grumman acquired Scaled Composites in which it had previously owned a 40% stake. In 2008, Northrop Grumman began working with DHS Systems LLC, manufacturer of

5600-404: The company built most US Navy aircraft. After the war it branched out into making the first aluminum canoes using left-over materials no longer needed for aircraft. Later the firm created a myriad of products such as ballistic missiles , all-weather radars, the Apollo Lunar Module , land and sea-based fighter aircraft and Stealth bombers . Founded in California in 1939 by Jack Northrop ,

5700-432: The composite-casing solid rocket boosters then in development for the canceled OmegA launch vehicle, and are projected to increase Block 2's payload to 290,000 lb (130 t) to low Earth orbit (LEO) and at least 101,000 lb (46 t) to trans-lunar injection . As of July 2021 , the BOLE program is under development, with first firing expected in 2024. The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS)

5800-403: The contract went to rival Lockheed Martin on August 31, 2006. In 2006, Northrop Grumman had intended to bid for the U.S. Air Force's Next-Generation Bomber . Though it has not built a large manned aircraft since wrapping up B-2 Spirit production in the 1990s, the company has "been working hard to turn that perception around, with the skills and capabilities that back it up." However, by 2009,

5900-450: The core stage. ICPS then performed orbital insertion and a subsequent translunar injection burn to send Orion towards the Moon. The ICPS will be human-rated for the crewed Artemis II and III flights. The SLS Block 1 has a conical frustum -shaped interstage called the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter between the core stage and the ICPS. It consists of sixteen aluminum-lithium panels made of 2195 aluminum alloy . Teledyne Brown Engineering

6000-406: The cost of the program through 2025 to total at least $ 41 billion for four 209,000 lb (95 t) launches (1 uncrewed, 3 crewed), with the 290,000 lb (130 t) version ready no earlier than 2030. The Human Exploration Framework Team estimated unit costs for 'Block 0' at $ 1.6 billion and Block 1 at $ 1.86 billion in 2010. However, since these estimates were made, the Block 0 SLS vehicle

6100-404: The cutter Stratton was a part of an amphibious readiness group that conducted an exercise to move Marines and associated equipment ashore in a simulated hostile environment, the cutter would act as a forward screen vessel and also provided fire support for the Marines during the landing. During the patrol, the cutters crew would conduct surface warfare training, including drills to defend against

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6200-416: The design for the SLS, with the Orion spacecraft as payload. The SLS has considered several future development routes of potential launch configurations, with the planned evolution of the blocks of the rocket having been modified many times. Many options, all of which just needed to meet the congressionally mandated payload minimums, were considered, including a Block 0 variant with three main engines,

6300-447: The development of the B-21 Raider , a long-range, stealth strategic bomber that can drop conventional and nuclear weapons ; it will replace Northrop's own B-2 Spirit , the world's only known stealth bomber. Among its other projects are the production of the solid rocket boosters for NASA's Space Launch System program. It was the sole bidder on the Air Force's Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program , which aims to develop and build

6400-419: The existing EUS design, incompatibility of the proposal with the height of the door of the Vehicle Assembly Building being only 390 feet (120 m), and unacceptable acceleration of Orion components such as its solar panels due to the higher thrust of the engines being used for the fuel tank. From 2009 to 2011, three full-duration static fire tests of five-segment solid rocket boosters were conducted under

6500-425: The first SLS, built at Michoud Assembly Facility by Boeing, had all four engines attached in November 2019, and it was declared finished by NASA in December 2019. The first core stage left Michoud Assembly Facility for comprehensive testing at Stennis Space Center in January 2020. The static firing test program at Stennis Space Center, known as the Green Run, operated all the core stage systems simultaneously for

6600-405: The first launch was originally scheduled for 8:30 am EDT, 29 August 2022. It was postponed to 2:17 pm EDT (18:17 UTC), 3 September 2022, after the launch director called a scrub due to a temperature sensor falsely indicating that an RS-25 engine's hydrogen bleed intake was too warm. The 3 September attempt was then scrubbed due to a hydrogen leak in the tail service mast quick disconnect arm, which

6700-473: The first time. Test 7 (of 8), the wet dress rehearsal, was carried out in December 2020 and the fire (test 8) took place on 16 January 2021, but shut down earlier than expected, about 67 seconds in total rather than the desired eight minutes. The reason for the early shutdown was later reported to be because of conservative test commit criteria on the thrust vector control system, specific only for ground testing and not for flight. If this scenario occurred during

6800-438: The former chief operating officer , took over as CEO. Effective October 1, 2003, Sugar also served as the company chairman of the board. Space Launch System The Space Launch System ( SLS ) is an American super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle used by NASA . Development of SLS began in 2011 as a replacement for the retiring Space Shuttle as well as the canceled Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles. SLS

6900-436: The four RS-25 engines, associated plumbing and hydraulic gimbal actuators , and equipment for autogenous pressurization of the vehicle's tanks. The core stage provides approximately 25% of the vehicle's thrust at liftoff, the rest coming from the solid rocket boosters. The stage measures 213 ft (65 m) long by 28 ft (8.4 m) in diameter and is visually similar to the Space Shuttle external tank . It

7000-486: The fourth flight; a further improved Block 2 configuration with new solid rocket boosters is planned for the ninth flight. After the launch of Artemis IV , NASA plans to transfer production and launch operations of SLS to Deep Space Transport LLC , a joint venture between Boeing and Northrop Grumman. The SLS is a Space Shuttle-derived launch vehicle . The rocket's first stage is powered by one central core stage and two outboard solid rocket boosters . All SLS Blocks share

7100-474: The group into its Peraton subsidiary. The sale closed in February 2021. The Mars Ascent Propulsion System for Mars sample-return mission Ascent Vehicle contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman on March 5, 2021. For this Northrop Grumman to make a 3–meter long, two-stage , solid-fueled Mars ascent rocket for the Mars Sample Return mission. This mission is to collect Perseverance's samples for return to Earth. In August 2022, Northrop Grumman announced it

7200-524: The high temperatures the engine section will experience due to their position adjacent to the solid rocket boosters. Later flights will switch to an RS-25 variant optimized for expended use, the RS-25E, which will lower per-engine costs by over 30%. The thrust of each RS-25D engine has been increased from 492,000 lbf (2,188 kN), as on the Space Shuttle, to 513,000 lbf (2,281 kN) on

7300-528: The new company acquired substantially all of the defense and electronics systems business of Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghouse Electronic Systems , a major manufacturer of radar systems, for $ 2.9 billion, and Xetron Corporation . In 1997, the defense computer contractor Logicon was added, which had acquired Geodynamics Corporation in March 1996 and Syscon Corporation in February 1995. Northrop

7400-586: The payload would cost $ 1 billion for Orion and $ 300 million for the European Service Module . An October 2023 report found that recurring production costs for SLS, excluding development and integration costs, are estimated to be at least $ 2.5 billion per launch. NASA has said that it is working with Boeing to bring down the cost of SLS launches and that a higher launch frequency could potentially lead to economies of scale, and would allow fixed costs to be spread out over more launches. However,

7500-686: The primary contractor for the James Webb Space Telescope . In October 2015, the US Military announced it had awarded Northrop Grumman the contract for the successor to the B-1 and B-52 , subsequently identified as the B-21 . The initial value is $ 21.4 billion, and could eventually be worth up to $ 80 billion. In September 2017, Northrop announced its intention to acquire missile and rocket manufacturer Orbital ATK Inc for $ 9.2 billion: $ 7.8 billion in cash plus $ 1.4 billion in net debt. On November 29, 2017,

7600-570: The rocket and boosters but also ground support and logistical arrangements. On 7 August 2014, the SLS Block 1 passed a milestone known as Key Decision Point C and entered full-scale development, with an estimated launch date of November 2018. In 2013, NASA and Boeing analyzed the performance of several Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) engine options. The analysis was based on a second-stage usable propellant load of 105 metric tons, and compared stages with four RL10 engines, two MARC-60 engines, or one J-2X engine. In 2014, NASA also considered using

7700-484: The rocket for Artemis I. It left Stennis on 24 April and arrived at Kennedy on 27 April. It was refurbished there in preparation for stacking. On 12 June 2021, NASA announced the assembly of the first SLS rocket was completed at the Kennedy Space Center. The assembled SLS was used for the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022. The first SLS, for Artemis I, launched an Orion spacecraft into a lunar orbit on

7800-420: The sixteen modernized engines. The RS-25E will further increase per-engine thrust to 522,000 lbf (2,321 kN). Blocks 1 and 1B of the SLS will use two five-segment solid rocket boosters. They use casing segments that were flown on Shuttle missions as parts of the four-segment Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters . They possess an additional center segment, new avionics, and lighter insulation, but lack

7900-402: The tank re-entered production and will be proof tested for strength, for use on Artemis III. As of July 2021, Boeing is also preparing to begin construction of the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), which is planned to be used on Artemis IV . Originally planned for late 2016, the uncrewed first flight of SLS slipped more than twenty-six times and almost six years. As of earlier that month,

8000-570: The tanker program and in March 2010, Northrop Grumman announced it was withdrawing from the competition, deeming the revised requirements to be weighted in favor of the Boeing KC-46 . On January 1, 2006, Northrop Grumman opened its business sector called 'Technical Services'. Northrop Grumman and Boeing collaborated on a design concept for NASA 's upcoming Orion spacecraft (previously the Crew Exploration Vehicle), but

8100-1098: The teams working on that project were dispersed, as USAF's focus turned to a long-range strike instead. Northrop Grumman was one of two teams competing for the Long Range Strike Bomber , and in October 2015 won the contract for the Long Range Strike Bomber. On July 20, 2007, Northrop Grumman became the sole owner of Burt Rutan 's Scaled Composites . In 2007, Northrop Grumman created 'National Workforce Centers' as an alternative to offshoring . Locations are Auburn , Alabama; Corsicana , Texas; Fairmont , West Virginia; Helena , Montana; Johnstown , Pennsylvania; and Lebanon, Virginia . The Rapid City, South Dakota location closed in January 2012. In July 2008, three of four Northrop Grumman employees ( Thomas Howes , Marc Gonsalves and Keith Stansell ) were freed during Operation Jaque after five years of captivity following their aircraft crash in

8200-411: The time limit based on an engineering review. On 29 September 2021, Northrop Grumman indicated that the limit could be extended to eighteen months for Artemis I, based on an analysis of the data collected when the boosters were being stacked; an analysis weeks before the actual launch date later extended that to December 2022 for the boosters of Artemis I, almost two years after stacking. In late 2015,

8300-635: The total RS-25 contract value to almost $ 3.5 billion. NASA has spent $ 26.4 billion on SLS development since 2011, through 2023, in nominal dollars. This is equivalent to $ 32 billion in 2024 dollars using the NASA New Start Inflation Indices. In 2024, the US Congress approved "up to" $ 2,600 million for the NASA Space Launch System. In January 2024 NASA announced plans for a first crewed flight of

8400-684: The usage of SLS beyond the Artemis missions to launching NASA's robotic space probes and observatories . While the vibrations of SLS's large solid-rocket boosters have been at first thought to be incompatible with many scientific payloads due to the excessive vibration they generate, but on later analysis “[it] really was a nonissue at the end of the day.” As of October 2024, NASA has studied using SLS for Neptune Odyssey , Europa Lander , Enceladus Orbilander , Persephone, HabEx , Origins Space Telescope , LUVOIR , Lynx , and Interstellar probe . Initially, Congress mandated that NASA use

8500-438: The wings to enhance the propulsion provided by its gliding system, which glides forward while moving up and down in the water column by changing its buoyancy. With an emphasis on minimal human oversight, the creation of the Manta Ray represents a significant advancement in unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) technology. In September 2024, Northrop Grumman won the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) competition to develop and build

8600-723: The wireless-enabling technology to enable a Wi-Fi access for employees and equipment in the module. In September 2020, Northrop Grumman won a $ 298 million sole-source contract for the Evolved Strategic Satcom program, an anti-jam communications satellite program intended to replace the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite program where Northrop Grumman was a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin . In December 2020, Northrop sold its federal IT and mission support business to Veritas Capital for $ 3.4 billion in cash. Veritas placed

8700-614: The world. In 1994, Northrop Aircraft bought Grumman Aerospace , which built the Apollo Lunar Module to create Northrop Grumman (NG) at a cost of $ 2.1 billion. The company purchased the remaining 51% interest in Vought Aircraft Company (Vought) in August 1994 for $ 130 million taking full control of the company after it had purchased an initial 49% interest in September 1992 for $ 45 million. In 1996,

8800-710: Was acquired by the Coast Guard. On December 19, 2011 Stratton arrived in San Francisco , pier 27, for its inaugural homecoming visit to the Bay Area. On March 31, 2012, Stratton was officially commissioned by the Coast Guard in Alameda, California , with First Lady Michelle Obama in attendance. In April 2012, the crew of Stratton discovered four holes in the hull and the ship was sent to drydock to have these repaired. On July 18, 2015, Stratton intercepted

8900-727: Was added. On November 1, 2001, Northrop Grumman restated its third-quarter profit after halting work on two ships for American Classic Voyages , which filed for bankruptcy protection. In 2002, Northrop Grumman acquired TRW Inc. , which had acquired Braddock Dunn & McDonald (BDM) in 1997, and became the Space Technology sector based in Redondo Beach , California, and the Mission Systems sector based in Reston, Virginia , with sole interest in their space systems and laser systems manufacturing. The Aeronautical division

9000-401: Was automated for most sections of the core stage, saving 12 days in the schedule. The Artemis II forward skirt, the foremost component of the core stage, was affixed on the liquid oxygen tank in late May 2021. By 25 September 2023 the core stage was functionally complete, as all sections were assembled and the four RS-25 engines had been installed. As of May 2023 , the complete core stage

9100-489: Was built using existing Shuttle technology, including solid rocket boosters and RS-25 engines. As the primary launch vehicle of the Artemis Moon landing program, SLS is designed to launch the crewed Orion spacecraft on a trans-lunar trajectory. The first SLS launch was the uncrewed Artemis I , which took place on 16 November 2022. All Space Launch System flights are to be launched from Launch Complex 39B at

9200-458: Was designed to carry out long-duration, long-range military missions, including extended loitering on the sea bottom. The development of the Manta Ray posed several technical challenges, including overcoming the corrosive nature of seawater, preventing sea life from interfering with moving components, and operating under conditions where electromagnetic radiation, including sunlight, does not propagate well. The craft uses two four-bladed propellers on

9300-561: Was dropped in late 2011, and the design was not completed. In September 2012, an SLS deputy project manager stated that $ 500 million is a reasonable target average cost per flight for the SLS program. In 2013, the Space Review estimated the cost per launch at $ 5 billion, depending on the rate of launches. NASA announced in 2013 that the European Space Agency will build the Orion service module . In August 2014, as

9400-456: Was fixed; the next launch option was at first a period in late October and then a launch in mid-November, due to unfavorable weather during Hurricane Ian . It launched on 16 November. NASA originally limited the amount of time the solid rocket boosters can remain stacked to "about a year" from the time two segments are joined. The first and second segments of the Artemis I boosters were joined on 7 January 2021. NASA could choose to extend

9500-446: Was moving production of the engines and structures for its Antares rockets to the U.S. from Russia and Ukraine. The move of Antares production fully to the U.S. will happen through a partnership with Texas-based Firefly Aerospace . Northrop Grumman had purchased Russian RD-181 engines to power the Antares 230+ series, and the rocket’s main body was manufactured by Ukraine’s Yuzhmash State Enterprise . Northrop Grumman's B-21 Raider

9600-447: Was moving production of the engines and structures for its Antares rockets to the U.S. from Russia and Ukraine. The move of Antares production fully to the U.S. will happen through a partnership with Texas-based Firefly Aerospace . Northrop Grumman had purchased Russian RD-181 engines to power the Antares 230+ series, and the rocket's main body was manufactured by Ukraine's Yuzhmash State Enterprise . The new arrangement mainly resolves

9700-450: Was set to ship to NASA in late fall 2023, eight months later than was predicted originally. The complete core stage was delivered in July 2024. For Artemis III, assembly of elements of the thrust structure began at Michoud Assembly Facility in early 2021. The liquid hydrogen tank for Artemis III was originally planned to be the Artemis I tank, but it was set aside as the welds were found to be faulty. Repair techniques were developed, and

9800-624: Was sold to Goodrich , and the automotive divisions were spun off and retained the TRW name. There were 15 acquisitions from 1994 to 2003. Northrop Grumman partnered with EADS from the mid-2000s to offer the KC-30 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft in the U.S. Air Force's KC-X tanker competition. In February 2008 the U.S. Air Force chose KC-30, but in September 2008 the Defense Department suspended

9900-563: Was the prime contractor on the radical YF-23 which was one of two candidates for the Advanced Tactical Fighter but would eventually lose to the F-22 Raptor . Northrop later partnered with Lockheed on the F-35 and serves as a principal member of the Lockheed Martin industry led team. In 1998, a merger between Northrop Grumman and competitor Lockheed Martin was considered but abandoned after resistance from

10000-456: Was the prime contractor. After the end of the Cold War , Northrop made a series of acquisitions, buying Grumman Aerospace , Westinghouse and TRW Inc. in addition to a number of other enterprises. In 2018, Northrop Grumman completed the purchase of Orbital ATK , which has since been renamed to Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. Northrop Grumman is one of the largest defense contractors in

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