SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
GenCorp Inc. (NYSE: GY), announced that its subsidiary, Aerojet-General
Corporation (Aerojet) today conducted the last in a series of three test
firings of its 67-foot solid rocket motor. The motor, planned for use on
Lockheed Martin's Atlas(R) V launch vehicle, was fixed horizontally to a
massive test stand and fired for more than 90 seconds. Preliminary review of
data collected during the test fire indicates the motor achieved all
performance objectives.
"Today's test was the final critical milestone for use of the Aerojet
solid rocket motor on Lockheed Martin's Atlas V launch vehicle," said Mark
Kaufman, Aerojet Atlas V program director. "The test demonstrated Aerojet's
superior capabilities in designing, manufacturing, and producing large solid
rocket motors." Up to five solid rocket motors can be used on an Atlas V 400
or 500 series vehicle, depending on the mission requirements.
Today's test marks the third -- and final -- qualification motor firing of
the solid rocket motor for application on Lockheed Martin's Atlas V. The
qualification phase completion is expected in February 2003 with production
and delivery for a first motor flight set to begin in 2003.
Aerojet, headquartered in Sacramento, California, is a world-recognized
aerospace and defense leader principally serving the missile and space
propulsion, and defense and armaments markets. GenCorp Inc. is a
multi-national, technology-based manufacturer with leading positions in the
automotive, aerospace, defense and pharmaceutical fine chemicals industries.
For more information, please visit http://www.aerojet.com and
http://www.gencorp.com .
This release contains forward-looking statements as defined under the
federal securities laws, including statements about the beneficial use of the
Aerojet solid rocket motor. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the statements.
Other risk factors are described in more detail in GenCorp's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2001 and its subsequent periodic
and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its
most recent 10-Q filed for the period ending August 31, 2002. Additional risks
may be described from time to time in future filings with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission. All such risk factors are difficult to predict,
contain material uncertainties that may affect actual results, and may be
beyond GenCorp's control.
SOURCE GenCorp Inc.
CONTACT: investors, Yasmin Seyal, senior vice president and chief
financial officer, +1-916-351-8585, or press, Linda Beech Cutler, vice
president, Corporate Communications, +1-916-351-8650, both of GenCorp Inc.
/Web site: http://www.aerojet.com /
