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Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Completes Assembly of First Common Extensible Cryogenic Engine Demonstrator

Contact: Tom Callaghan
Tel: (561) 796-6793
thomas.callaghan@pw.utc.com

Contact: Bryan Kidder
Tel: (818) 586-2213
bryan.kidder@pwr.utc.com

West Palm Beach, Fla., April 5, 2006 -- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, has completed assembly of the first Common Extensible Cryogenic Engine (CECE) demonstrator supporting NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration.

The CECE is a deep-throttling, 15,000-pound-thrust-class engine fueled by a mixture of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The engine will validate key component technologies required by high energy, in-space propulsion systems for future space exploration. "We are excited about completing this significant first demonstrator milestone in the program, and look forward to validating critical deep-throttling capability and generating key component and system-level technology data. This will be required to provide NASA with a common, high-performance propulsion system for a variety of in-space applications,” said Victor Giuliano, CECE program manager.

NASA awarded Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne the first portion of a $40 million, four-year contract in June 2005 to develop the Common Extensible Cryogenic Engine. The two-phase technology development program includes two separate design, manufacturing and engine system-level demonstration tests. The tests will be conducted at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne facilities in West Palm Beach, Fla., beginning in early April 2006.

While focused on descent propulsion for the Lunar Surface Access Module, the CECE program will demonstrate technologies for other applications such as the Earth Departure Stage and in-space transfer systems.

The CECE is built upon Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s extensive experience in cryogenic propulsion. The engine benefits from the fundamental design of the RL10, which has earned a reputation of being one of the most reliable, safe and high performing cryogenic upper-stage engines ever developed, and from the power, precision and reliability of the Space Shuttle Main Engine.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a business unit of Pratt & Whitney (www.pw.utc.com), offers a complete line of propulsion products, from boosters to upper-stage engines, used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including the Space Shuttle Main Engines and propulsion systems for the Atlas and Delta expendable launch vehicles.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. It is a part of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), a diversified company based in Hartford, Conn., which provides high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries.

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