Satellites studying geomagnetic substorms were sent into orbit by a rocket engine made by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. The launch Feb. 17 of the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida was the 213th consecutive successful launch for the RS-27 family of engines built at the Pratt & Whitney facility in Canoga Park. The payload of five probes is one of the largest number of scientific satellites launched into orbit aboard a single rocket. The satellites will gather data on the Northern and Southern Lights to help understand how to mitigate the impact of these energy releases on other satellites, power grids and communications systems. “Reliability is the strong suit of the RS-27A,” said Elizabeth Jones, PWR RS-27A Program Manager, in a statement released Monday. “The mission powered by the RS-27A today will enable us to learn more about what triggers these potentially dangerous substorms.”