Orbital ATK and NASA have completed the preliminary design review of a docking component of its Mission Extension Vehicle. The Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Docking system consists of actuators, control algorithms and sensors that work to help MEV-1 detect, monitor and move toward a client spacecraft, Orbital ATK said Tuesday. The company and NASA conducted the RPOD […] More

Orbital ATK has worked with NASA and Lockheed Martin to test-fire a motor technology for the Orion spacecraft’s launch abort system. The Qualification Motor-1 test was conducted at Orbital ATK’s facility in Promontory, Utah, and evaluated if the motor could activate within milliseconds and operate as designed under high temperatures, Orbital ATK said Thursday. Lockheed awarded Orbital ATK a $98 million subcontract […] More

Orbital ATK plans to launch its Cygnus spacecraft aboard its upgraded Antares 230 rocket in September as part of the company’s eighth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station under NASA‘s Commercial Resupply Services contract, Space News reported Monday. “The launch date on the manifest now is September the 12th,” Frank Culbertson, president of Orbital ATK’s […] More

Orbital ATK has concluded its seventh cargo delivery mission to International Space Station as part of the company’s Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. The company said Sunday its Cygnus spacecraft, dubbed S.S. John Glen, also served as a platform for in-space research before the vehicle re-entered Earth’s atmosphere. S.S. John Glenn was launched atop a United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V […] More

Orbital ATK has partnered with the U.S. Air Force to determine opportunities to address design, fabrication, repair and inspection of composite aerostructures of military aircraft. Orbital ATK said Tuesday it will also collaborate with the service branch to facilitate future aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul activities at the Air Force Ogden Air Logistics Complex and […] More

An Orbital ATK-built Cygnus spacecraft has departed from the International Space Station to conduct three secondary payload missions as part of its next mission phase. The company said Sunday that the S.S. John Glenn will perform NASA‘s Spacecraft Fire Experiment-III experiment which will monitor the behavior of fires in microgravity. “The experiment will intentionally ignite and record a large-scale […] More

Northrop Grumman has awarded Orbital ATK a potential five-year, $90 million contract to manufacture aircraft composite parts in support of the U.S. Air Force‘s B-2 Spirit aircraft modernization effort. Orbital ATK said Tuesday it will produce 17 hot trailing edge structures and provide non-recurring engineering services for B-2 bombers. The contract has an option for follow-on orders. Steve Earl, vice president and general manager of […] More

Orbital ATK has received a $76 million order to produce and deliver an undisclosed number of .50 caliber ammunition to the U.S. Army. The Army placed the order for small-caliber ammunition under a supply contract with Orbital ATK, the company said Wednesday Jim Nichols, vice president and general manager of Orbital ATK’s small caliber systems division, said that company-made […] More

Orbital ATK has tested an attitude control motor for the launch abort system of the Orion spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin to support NASA‘s manned space exploration goals. The test demonstrated the capacity of ATM technology to guide an LAS in the event of mission abort and address human-rated requirements, Orbital ATK said Monday. Orbital ATK built the Orion’s launch abort system motor […] More

An Orbital ATK-built Cygnus spacecraft has arrived at the International Space Station to deliver approximately 7,600 pounds of crew supplies, food, clothing, spare parts, scientific experiments and laboratory equipment. The S.S. John Glenn spacecraft reached ISS Saturday and completed berthing procedures days after its April 18 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V rocket to mark Orbital ATK’s seventh […] More

Orbital ATK launched a Cygnus spacecraft Tuesday as part of the company’s seventh operational cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station under NASA‘s Commercial Resupply Services-1 contract. The company said Tuesday the spacecraft, nicknamed S.S. John Glenn, lifted off at 11:11 a.m. Eastern time from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V rocket on a mission […] More

Frank Culbertson, president of Orbital ATK’s space systems group, has said the company expects NASA to decide soon on whether to use its Antares vehicle or the United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V rocket in Cygnus spacecraft’s future cargo missions as part of the Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract, Space News reported Tuesday. Jeff Foust writes Culbertson […] More