[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 21, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

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                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 20, 2008

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I submit the following:
  Requesting Member: Representative John T. Doolittle.
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658.
  Account: Air Force--RDT&E, AEROSPACE PROPULSION.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Aerojet-General Corp.
  Address of Requesting Entity: Highway 50 & Aerojet Rd., Rancho 
Cordova, CA 95742.
  Description of Request: An increase of $3,000,000 for Air Force RDTE 
Line Aerospace Propulsion for Hydrocarbon Boost Technology 
Demonstrator. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL, Edwards AFB) has 
initiated a Hydrocarbon Boost Technology Demonstrator program to 
provide the United States with a liquid hydrocarbon rocket engine to 
power the next generation of launch vehicles for assured access of 
critical national security payloads. Instead of a hydrocarbon fuel, 
most American liquid engines in large thrust classes use liquid oxygen 
and hydrogen propellants. Cryogenic hydrogen is costly to produce. It 
is also difficult to work with compared to hydrocarbon fuels due to its 
extremely low storage temperature requirement and launch operations 
safety concerns. Furthermore, the propellant properties and very cold 
temperatures reduce the life of the materials involved and make low 
cost, rapid turnaround reusable applications nearly impossible. 
Hydrocarbon liquid rocket engines ultimately derived from the advanced 
technology developed and demonstrated in the Hydrocarbon Booster 
Technology Demonstrator program will not only provide the highest 
performing hydrocarbon engines ever developed in the United States, but 
also will provide higher operability, lower costs and greater safety 
with higher reliability than any liquid booster engine ever made in the 
U.S. and perhaps the world. The funding would be used for Ox Rich 
Preburner and Turbopump concept designs.

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