CASTOR 30XL

CASTOR 30XL is an active, flight-proven solid upper-stage motor variant in Northrop Grumman's CASTOR 30 family. The CASTOR Motor Series catalog describes it as more than a stretched CASTOR 30, using common designs and materials plus lessons learned from large-class stages; its eight-foot submerged nozzle and 235.8-inch length support second- or third-stage use. The catalog lists 119,900 lbf (about 533.4 kN) maximum vacuum thrust, 294.4 seconds effective specific impulse, 155.0 seconds burn time, QDL-1 HTPB polymer with 19% aluminum, and flight-proven/in-production status, and records its first Antares flight in October 2016. Exact vehicle-family installations remain represented on the vehicle records.