Orbital Sciences Corp. will use rocket-engine test facilities at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi to hot-fire the Aerojet AJ26 liquid oxygen/RP-1 engine planned for the Taurus II medium-lift launch vehicle. Under development with seed money from NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) effort, and under contract to help resup-ply the International Space Station after the shuttle fleet retires (see p. 13), the Taurus II will use a pair of the modified Russian NK-33 engines in its first stage. Testing on the E-1 stand at Stennis will begin following modifications to accommodate the RP-1 fuel. The first engine is expected to reach Stennis in mid-2009, and Orbital is planning a COTS demonstration launch of the Taurus II by the end of 2010.
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