by Arnold G.
In 1997, Lockheed Martin had just awarded
a contract to Energomash, the Russian rocket engine manufacturer, to supply
rocket engines for Lockheed Martin's next generation expendable launch vehicle,
the Atlas V. I was sent to Moscow as part of a small group of engineers with
the task of sitting down with counterparts from Energomash to work out details
of integrating their engine with our rocket structure, propellant systems,
avionics and other subsystems.
As we sat in offices that dated back to
the Soviet era, I couldn't help but be struck by the poignancy of the occasion.
Our counterparts had no doubt spent their careers working on programs that
would have meant destruction for our way of life, just as I had worked on
projects that would have destroyed theirs. Thankfully, those "swords"
remained sheathed and our mutual expertise was now being put to use in a
peaceful "plowshare" collaboration.
As a result of that initiative, one of the
first Atlas V missions launched the Helass Sat II communications satellite
which provided live coverage of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games for the enjoyment
of people around the world.
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| Helass Sat II |
