Lockheed Propulsion Company facts for kids

The Lockheed Propulsion Company was a part of the Lockheed Corporation. It was located in Mentone, California, near Redlands, California, and operated from 1961 to 1975. This company designed, tested, and built solid rocket motors and the fuel (called propellant) used in them. These rockets were important for both military uses and for NASA space missions.

The company's main site covered about 400 acres. This land was leased from the City of Redlands. Before Lockheed, another company called Grand Central Rocket Company used the facility. They also made and tested solid rocket fuel. Lockheed continued to use the site for research and to produce solid fuel rockets until 1974.

History of Lockheed Propulsion

How the Company Started

The Lockheed Propulsion Company began in 1952. It was first known as the Grand Central Rocket Company. It was founded by Major C. C. Moseley and Charles E. Bartley. Charles Bartley was famous for inventing a special rubber-based solid rocket fuel.

In December 1953, the company announced plans for a new factory. This factory would make solid rocket fuel in the Redlands-Mentone area. They were working with the Redlands City Council to lease 160 acres of land. The factory was expected to open within three months. At first, it would employ 53 highly skilled workers.

Early Operations and Growth

The company started its operations in 1954 on a large site in Mentone. By 1956, the company had grown to 130 employees. Its president, Charles E. Bartley, said they were still expanding.

In April 1956, the U.S. Navy chose Grand Central Rocket Co. for an important job. They were selected to build the solid-propellant third-stage rocket for Project Vanguard.

Sometimes, local people reported hearing explosions from the plant. For example, on January 24, 1957, an explosion was reported. Police said it was a "prepared test explosion." Company officials explained it was a controlled testing procedure.

Contributions to Space Exploration

In 1958, the Redlands plant helped launch the Vanguard 1 satellite. They provided the ABL X-248 Altair third stage for its launch vehicle. Vanguard 1 and this rocket stage are still in orbit today. This makes them the oldest artificial satellites still orbiting Earth.

Grand Central also signed a contract for Project Mercury. They were to produce the solid rocket motor for the escape tower on the Mercury spacecraft. This motor helped astronauts escape in an emergency. Lockheed later produced this motor after buying the Redlands plant.

Becoming Lockheed Propulsion Company

Lockheed acquired Grand Central in February 1960. It then became the Lockheed Propulsion Company. It continued as a research and production facility for solid fuel rockets.

Between 1966 and 1975, the Boeing Company worked with Lockheed Propulsion Company. Boeing used Lockheed's propellants for its AGM-69 SRAM missiles.

For the famous Apollo program, Lockheed Propulsion Company made two key parts. They provided the Launch Escape Motor and the Pitch Control Motor. These were part of the emergency escape tower on top of the Apollo command module. They used a special fuel made from polysulfides.

Closure of the Company

In January 1972, Marshall Space Flight Center asked several companies to study large solid motors. These motors could be used for the Space Shuttle booster package. Lockheed Propulsion Company was one of the companies chosen for this study. However, Thiokol Chemical Company was eventually selected to build the Space Shuttle's solid rocket boosters in November 1973.

Lockheed protested this decision. But in May 1975, NASA confirmed Thiokol's contract. With the Apollo project ending and no Space Shuttle orders, Lockheed Propulsion Company closed down. It was sold in 1975.

Environmental Concerns

Groundwater Contamination

In the 1980s, a chemical called trichloroethylene (TCE) was found in groundwater wells near Redlands. TCE is a solvent, meaning it dissolves other substances. The California Department of Health Services ordered that any drinking water wells with too much TCE be shut down.

In 1989, a system was installed to clean the water. This system used activated carbon to remove the TCE. Later investigations showed that Lockheed Martin Corporation (which used to be Lockheed Propulsion Company) was the source of the TCE.

In 1997, another chemical, ammonium perchlorate, was found in water wells. These wells supplied water to areas in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Two wells in Loma Linda, California were affected by perchlorate from the Lockheed site.

Health Effects of Perchlorate

Perchlorate can harm human health. It interferes with how the thyroid gland uses iodine. In adults, the thyroid gland helps control the body's metabolism. In children, the thyroid is important for proper development.

Lawsuit and Cleanup Efforts

About 800 residents in Redlands later sued Lockheed. They claimed the contaminated groundwater had caused health problems. In 2003, the California Supreme Court ruled that these citizens could not file a large group lawsuit against Lockheed Martin.

However, Lockheed Martin Corporation has been asked to help pay for the cleanup of the contamination. In the 1970s, federal rules allowed burning toxic chemical waste in open dirt pits. Lockheed Martin filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government in 2008. They wanted the government to pay for past and future cleanup costs. Lockheed has reported over $500 million in costs related to environmental issues, including the contamination in Redlands.