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Spinoff story
Original Cryogenic Engine Still Powers Exploration, Defense, Industry
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
The first cryogenic rocket engine, the RL10, remains the most used upper-stage rocket engine in the country more than 50 years after its creation. The engine, powered by liquid hydrogen and oxygen, was matured under a contract between what are now known as Glenn Research Center and Aerojet Rocketdyne. Built in West Palm Beach, Florida, the RL10 helped launch most commercial satellites for three decades and remains the upper-stage engine of choice for NASA and the military.