A towering propellant tank and its rocket engine now stand on display at Los Angeles Air Force Base as a testament to its service to both the United States' military and civilian space missions.
The Centaur III upper stage tank and RL-10 engine exhibit was dedicated last month outside the headquarters for Space Systems Command, the U.S. Space Force's division for acquiring and delivering space capabilities. The liquid hydrogen-fueled Centaur, in its various configurations, has been used in almost 300 launches of Earth orbit and interplanetary spacecraft since 1962.
"The Centaur is deeply rooted in our history," said Col. Michelle Idle, deputy commander of Space Systems Command, addressing the audience of more than 100 who attended the Oct. 18 ribbon-cutting ceremony. "It has put many of our capabilities up to orbit. Time and time again, the Centaur has delivered."
The tank and engine were donated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), which provides satellite launch services for the Department of Defense. The hardware was previously used for various testing and research purposes over the course of the Atlas II and Atlas V rocket programs.
