See Rocketdyne-powered payload blast off from Vandenberg AFB

Engines designed and built by Aerojet Rocketdyne’s unit in Canoga Park powered a national security payload into orbit for the U.S. govement early Wednesday moing, the company said.

• PHOTOS: See the Aerojet Rocketdyne-powered Delta IV rocket blast off from Vandenberg AFB

The heavy-lift Delta IV rocket was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base by the United Launch Alliance, a partnership between Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co.

“A successful launch, like the one today, can only happen with the help of an extremely talented and dedicated team. Congratulations to everyone involved. Simply put, it couldn’t have happened without you,” Peter Cova, acting vice president of Space Launch Systems at Aerojet Rocketdyne said in a statement. “Aerojet Rocketdyne looks forward to working with our ULA and U.S. govement customers on future launches and placing these highly critical payloads into orbit.”

During launch, the rocket was boosted off the pad by the RS-68A — the world’s most powerful liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen booster engine, which provides 702,000 pounds of liftoff thrust.

After the upper-stage separated from the launch vehicle, a single RL10B-2 engine ignited to provide 24,750 pounds of thrust to power the upper-stage.

The govement agency that will operate the satellite was not disclosed.

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