Aerojet Rocketdyne and Dynetics have agreed to a strategic partnership to enhance collaboration in developing and providing aerospace technologies and systems.

Collaboration will be focused on high-temperature lightweight materials, next generation additive manufacturing technologies, in-space propulsion systems and high-performance booster rocket engine systems.

The two companies have collaborated in the past in supporting NASA's Space Launch System Advanced Booster Engineering Demonstration and/or Risk Reduction program. They also made recent progress in efforts to create more affordable propulsion systems, working closely with the NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to do so.

The propulsion effort involved resurrecting the F-1 rocket engine -- the most powerful rocket engine flown, and which powered the Saturn V rocket in the 1960s and 1970s -- and measuring with advanced instruments its performance properties to give engineers a starting point for a new generation of advanced booster propulsion systems.

"We are excited about this expansion of our already productive partnership with Aerojet Rocketdyne. Its rich history, innovative engineering team and unmatched experience in propulsion systems development make this a natural pairing between our two firms," said Dynetics President David King.

Added Warren M. Boley, Jr., president of Aerojet Rocketdyne: "By expanding this partnership with Dynetics in Huntsville, the team can deliver innovation combined with affordability to customers using state-of-the-art design, development and manufacturing capabilities."