PTI Industries Cleared to Launch Precision Cleaning for SpaceX

Recently approved for precision cleaning of its aerospace parts by SpaceX, the space launch provider controlled by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, PTI will provide this critical service as SpaceX receives its own launch approval.

Certified by the U.S. Air Force after receiving strict security clearances, SpaceX is now eligible to compete for satellite launches of U.S. national security satellites. The Air Force’s certification of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket brings competition to national security space launches, giving greater leverage to the commercial space market.

What Else Does the Falcon 9 Rocket Do?

This ends the monopoly of United Launch Alliance with the Pentagon in sending military payloads into orbit, including GPS navigation satellites, missile warning platforms, weather satellites, and the National Reconnaissance Office’s orbiting spy payloads. The Falcon 9 rocket is also used for NASA, the U.S. civilian space agency, and commercial satellite operators.

One of the most recent Falcon 9 launches was June 15, 2016, when it lifted off a dual-satellite delivery from Cape Canaveral to broadcast video across Asia and Latin America, and to improve airplane navigation crossing the U.S. It’s set to launch again July 18 to send NASA’s Dragon supply ship to the International Space Station for the crews living there.

The certification from U.S. military comes ahead of the deadline for Russian-sourced engines for ULA’s rockets, a time limit not allowed past 2019. SpaceX, in contrast, builds most of its Falcon 9 from scratch right here in the U.S. It’s also an evolutionary design geared toward making reusable rockets.

This means that the escape rockets, which are mounted in the rocket’s base and not the tower like with Apollo, aren’t thrown away after use. Instead, they can be cleaned up and reconfigured for another flight. SpaceX is the first private company to launch a payload into orbit and make an upright landing and recovery, making sustainable rockets a reality.

PTI Industries is proud to support SpaceX’s achievements. By serving the nation’s military and aerospace industries with certified special processes, PTI continues to advance its mission for accurate process control that ensures part performance, reliability, and safety.