Overview

• On July 20, the 717th Test Squadron at Arnold Engineering Development Complex conducted a full-scale qualification run of Sentinel’s second-stage solid rocket motor in a vacuum chamber simulating high-altitude conditions.
• The trial measured thrust output, burn characteristics and thrust vector control to validate predictions from digital engineering models.
• Data gathered will inform final design adjustments and shape production planning as Sentinel advances toward manufacturing.
• The stage-two motor is the middle segment of the three-stage LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM, which is set to replace the aging Minuteman III fleet.
• Additional environmental and stress qualification tests are scheduled later this year to support the missile’s certification process.