Image of Aerojet Rocketdyne ’ s Jettison Motor Firing during a test . Aerojet Rocketdyne builds the jettison motor that provides approximately 40,000 pounds of thrust to separate Orion ’ s Launch Abort System from the crew module , enabling the capsule and crew to safely land under parachutes .
The work varies – sometimes it is a deliverable for a bigger project ; sometimes it is the entirety of the larger project . Young said that on the government projects they will have a government lab acting as the project manager .
Leadership in a company of over 5,000 with eyes on more space innovations is also important . The CEO is Eileen P . Drake , who joined the team in 2015 . Drake has had a distinguished and diverse career as a pilot , business leader and designer / innovator for aerospace markets .
Young said , “ She pushes hard , but she is fair ; she is focused on our customers , growth of the company , and continuous improvement .” He said it is mission critical that everyone follow through with integrity to ensure they meet expectations of stockholders as well as customers .
The quality assurance process , and their cyclical audit processes are important .
Young said they engage in about 10 audits per year with their AS9100 certification . He added , “ It is a check and balance system to ensure that we are providing quality products , inspected either at the factory or integration location .” He said they produce 500-700 engines a year , therefore quality is key .
Plus , as noted , Young said they are seeking “ 100 percent mission success ; we have met that for the last 52 years in Redmond . It is 100 years of 100 percent mission success ( for the company ); we ’ re halfway there .”
The mission success is important for both the commercial and government customers — which is a one-third to two-thirds mix .
The corporation operates from 14 U . S . -based locations that vary in size from their headquarters in El Segundo , California , to smaller facilities in Huntsville , Alabama , for example . All work is done in the U . S . according to Young , but they do international work and work with international partners .
For example , Young said , “ We provided engines to Arianespace Group for a launch vehicle .
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