Starting in 2014, the J-2X rocket engine will power the Ares I rocket intospace, helping deliver the Orion crew exploration vehicle, its crew ofastronauts and small payloads to the International Space Station. The J-2Xwill also power launch vehicles to the moon and beyond in coming decades. Theheart of the J-2X is proven heritage technology that propelled the Apollo-eraSaturn V rockets into space.

"The successful completion of the Critical Design Review is a majormilestone in the development of the J-2X -- one of the safest, most affordableand highest performing rocket engines ever to be built," said John Vilja, J-2Xprogram manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. "It demonstrates our engineeringdesign and development are on sound footing, and takes us another step closerto delivering the nation's next mode of space transportation."

The CDR was conducted in Huntsville, Ala., demonstrating the maturity ofthe J-2X's design and verifying the engine is ready to proceed to full-scalefabrication and assembly for initiation of development testing. It alsoallowed the project managers to determine if the technical approach was ontrack to meet mission performance requirements, including flight and groundsystems development, and mission operations.

The first engine hot-fire test is scheduled for late summer 2010 at NASA'sStennis Space Center in Mississippi.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc., a part of Pratt & Whitney, is apreferred provider of high-value propulsion, power, energy and innovativesystem solutions used in a wide variety of government and commercialapplications, including the main engines for the space shuttle, Atlas andDelta launch vehicles, missile defense systems and advanced hypersonicengines.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and serviceof aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines.United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified companyproviding high technology products and services to the global aerospace andbuilding industries.

Bryan Kidder Carri Karuhn Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne 818 586-2213 818 586-4963 bryan.kidder@pwr.utc.com carri.karuhn@pwr.utc.comSOURCE Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne