Innovation Systems - Northrop Grumman

Past, Present and Future: Northrop Grumman’s Solid Rocket Motors

Kay Anderson — Thu, 09 Aug 2018 20:15:00 GMT

Northrop Grumman and its heritage companies are well-known for manufacturing the solid rocket motors that boosted the space shuttle into space for 30 years. The company makes a variety of solid rocket motors for various uses, and for different purposes. Here’s a look at why solid rocket motors are vital for our nation.

This five-segment solid rocket motor is shown during a “static fire,” or ground test, as part of the qualification process for flight.

Slated for its first test launch in 2020, NASA’s new heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), should be a magnificent event. At 321 feet, SLS (with the Orion crew module attached) will stand taller than the Statue of Liberty and will produce horsepower equivalent to 160,000 Corvette engines, or 31 Boeing 747 jets during lift-off.

SLS will use two five-segment solid rocket boosters at lift-off to give it the thrust it needs to escape Earth’s gravity and reach the speed necessary to power the rocket into space. These Northrop Grumman-manufactured boosters include the largest solid rocket motors ever made for flight as part of a human spaceflight program, and are 25 percent larger than those used during the space shuttle era.

The launch abort motor that is manufactured by Northrop Grumman for NASA’s Orion spacecraft’s Launch Abort System, is shown here during a test that demonstrated the 400,000 pounds of thrust it provides in one eighth of a second to propel the crew module away from the launch pad if necessary.

In addition to the boosters used to aid SLS in lift-off, Northrop Grumman also produces smaller solid rocket motors to be used on Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS). “Solids are really the ideal choice in the first stages of a launch system,” said Kent Rominger, vice president of strategic programs, propulsion systems, Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems and five-time shuttle astronaut. “Because of the amount of energy you can pack into it, you can get a lot of thrust out of a relatively small rocket motor compared to a liquid system.”

The Launch Abort System’s purpose is to propel the astronauts as far away from the rocket as possible should any problems occur that could put the crew in danger – much like an ejection seat in a fighter jet. The LAS is designed to transport the crew one mile above and one mile away from the rocket in a matter of four seconds. In order to travel two miles in four seconds, you need a lot of power.

“Orion has conducted successful tests with the launch abort motor,” Rominger said. “That system was designed to get the capsule away from an explosion, and designed to keep the crew away from the debris field – it does that. Liquid systems that have been demonstrated to date don’t quite do that. If you want the best protection to get the crew away from the stack, the solids have proven to ignite faster and work the best.”

Rominger said the old Apollo rockets had a very simple launch abort system, and the survival estimates were somewhere around 50 percent. “We’re working hard to make sure we are at 100 percent, no matter what.”

Still, Rominger is the first to admit that in order to have a successful flight, both liquid and solid propulsion are needed.

“You really need both, because at different stages in flight you need different propulsion systems,” he said. “Rather than competing against each other they complement one another. They each have their strengths and work together for a successful space flight. But for a launch abort system, solids are the way to best ensure crew safety.”

SLS, LAS and other commercial motors are not the only applications where solid propulsion methods make the most sense. Because of their long shelf-life, solid rocket motors are used for defense missiles. They can be stored for many years with little maintenance costs, yet be ready for use at a minute’s notice – like the well-known Minuteman III.

The Minuteman III is a missile that is stored in multiple locations across the United States. In the event of a hostile attack, these missiles can be deployed to a target location.

Northrop Grumman has flown or tested more than 700 strategic-grade solid-rocket motors.

“Solid propulsion systems, like those used in the Minuteman III missile, give you great launch availability,” said Katie Qian, senior manager, business development, Northrop Grumman. “Once they are manufactured they can be stored for a very long time. It also doesn’t take much time to get it ready to launch. In a defense application, when you need things ready to go at any minute, solids are your absolute best choice.”

“They are very safe, very reliable, and they last a long time,” said Rominger. “We have older missiles that are going into submarines, and they are as safe and as reliable as they were on day one.”

Solids, strictly because of the way they are built, are the choice for fast ignition, heavy-lift propulsion that will deliver repeatable results. The ability to store the motors for extended periods of time with no quality loss makes them the ideal choice for the wide (and growing) spectrum of propulsion needs. Learn more about Northrop Grumman’s propulsion systems here.

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Orbital ATK Congratulates Winner of 2018 Marine Corps Aviation Association Award

Tue, 22 May 2018 15:15:00 GMT

GySgt. Jonathan E. Thornton Named Aviation Ground Marine of the Year

DULLES, Va.May 22, 2018-- Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, congratulates GySgt. Jonathon E. Thornton of the Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 for receiving the Marine Corps Aviation Association s (MCAA) Jack W. Demmond award at the MCAA Annual Symposium. The award, sponsored by Orbital ATK, recognizes the Aviation Ground Marine of the Year and was established in honor of Lt. Col. Jack W. Demmond, who served Marine Corps aviation with versatility and distinction for more than 29 years. The award recognizes the most outstanding contribution by a ground Marine serving with Marine aviation. The recipients are Marines of all ranks who are nominated by their superiors and vetted through Headquarters Marine Corps.

GySgt Jonathon E. Thornton, Marine Wing Support Squadron - 372, is the recipient of the Jack W. Demmond award for Aviation Ground Marine of the Year. Presented by John Scheiner, Orbital ATK, 19 May 2018 at the MCAA National Convention and Reunion. (Photo: Business Wire)

It is with great pleasure that we congratulate GySgt. Jonathan E. Thornton for being recognized in a field of his peers of highly successful and accomplished Marines, said Cary Ralston, Vice President and General Manager of the Defense Electronic Systems Division of Orbital ATK s Defense Systems Group. Orbital ATK is honored to once again partner with the MCAA to sponsor the Jack W. Demmond Award and recognize GySgt. Jonathan E. Thornton s significant contributions to keeping our nation safe.

For more information about the Marine Corps. Aviation Association awards visit http://www.flymcaa.org/awards.

Orbital ATK s Defense Systems Group is an industry leader in providing innovative and affordable precision and strike weapons, advanced propulsion and hypersonics, missile components across air-, sea- and land-based systems, ammunition and related energetic products.

About Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies. The company designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation systems for customers around the world, both as a prime contractor and merchant supplier. Its main products include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced aerospace structures. Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital ATK employs approximately 14,000 people across the U.S. and in several international locations. For more information, visit www.orbitalatk.com.

Source: Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK
Media Contact:
Nancy Stoehr-Campbell, 818-887-8471
Communications Manager, DES
nancy.stoehr-campbell@orbitalatk.com
or
Investor Contact:
Barron Beneski, 703-406-5528
Public and Investor Relations
barron.beneski@orbitalatk.com

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Orbital ATK Reinforces Commitment to U.S. Air Force EELV Program with OmegA Rocket

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 20:21:00 GMT

All-American Rocket Configuration Finalized with Selection of Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C Upper Stage Propulsion

OmegA Scheduled for Ground Tests Next Year, First Launch in 2021

DULLES, Va.Apr. 16, 2018-- During the 34^th annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Orbital ATK (NYSE:OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, today provided a detailed update on the important progress being made on its Next Generation Launch System. The company reaffirmed its commitment to the U.S. Air Force s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program for national security space missions with the announcement of the name of the rocket, OmegA, and the selection of its upper stage propulsion system. As one of the company s largest strategic investments, OmegA will provide intermediate- to heavy-class launch services for Department of Defense, civil government and commercial customers beginning in three years.

As one of Orbital ATK's largest strategic investments, the OmegA rocket will provide intermediate- to heavy-class launch services for Department of Defense, civil government and commercial customers beginning in three years. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Orbital ATK is very excited to partner with the U.S. Air Force to develop OmegA, our new EELV-class launch vehicle, said Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK s Flight Systems Group. Our OmegA rocket provides the best combination of performance, affordability and reliability to support the full range of our customers mission requirements. Based on our experience of producing more than 430 launch vehicles over the last 35 years, we have the rigorous processes, operational discipline and oversight transparency that are expected by our U.S. government customers. And with the industrial resources and financial capabilities of a $5 billion revenue company, Orbital ATK is fully committed to meeting the technical and schedule requirements of this important program.

Over the last three years, Orbital ATK and the U.S. Air Force have together invested more than $250 million in developing the OmegA rocket, and the company has committed to an even larger additional investment to complete its development and certification. Orbital ATK is already building major propulsion and structural elements with a program workforce of about 500 employees. OmegA is on schedule to complete propulsion system ground tests in 2019 and to conduct its first launch in 2021.

The rocket configuration consists of Orbital ATK-built first and second solid rocket stages, strap-on solid boosters and a cryogenic liquid upper stage. After careful consideration, Orbital ATK recently selected Aerojet Rocketdyne s RL10C to be OmegA s upper stage propulsion engine.

The RL10 has provided reliable upper stage propulsion for more than five decades and we look forward to continuing that legacy with Orbital ATK and its OmegA rocket, said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake. By selecting the RL10, Orbital ATK is able to leverage investments made by the U.S. Air Force and others to build resilient space launch capabilities for our nation.

The RL10 has an extensive flight history and provides a low-risk, affordable engine with outstanding performance, said Mike Pinkston, Deputy General Manager of Orbital ATK s Launch Vehicles Division. OmegA is a robust all-American launch system with its entire design based on flight-proven technologies and common components from Orbital ATK s diversified lineup of rockets and propulsion systems.

Orbital ATK has a long history of launching critical payloads for the Department of Defense, NASA and other customers with the company s Pegasus, Minotaur and Antares^TM space launch vehicles as well as a wide array of strategic missile interceptors and targets in support of critical national security launch programs.

We currently have 10 launch vehicle product lines that are in active production and operations for our government and commercial customers, leveraging the efforts of one of the industry s most experienced launch vehicle development and operations teams, said Pinkston. The company has built and delivered about 160 space and strategic launch vehicles and approximately 275 target vehicles in the past 35 years, with current annual production rates totaling about 20 vehicles per year.

Approximately 500 employees are currently working on OmegA, a number that is expected to grow to about 1,000 people over the next 18 months. The company s development team is working on the program in Arizona, Utah, Mississippi and Louisiana, with launch integration and operations planned at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The program will also support hundreds of jobs across the country in its supply chain.

The next phase of the OmegA program is expected to begin when the U.S. Air Force awards Launch Services Agreements in mid-2018, which will include the remaining development and verification of the vehicle and its launch sites. After initial flights of its intermediate configuration in 2021, OmegA will be certified for operational EELV missions starting in 2022 with initial heavy configuration flights beginning in 2024.

About Orbital ATK

Source: Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK
Media:
Trina Patterson, 480-814-6504
Launch Vehicles Communications
trina.patterson@orbitalatk.com
or
Investors:
Barron Beneski, 703-406-5528
Public and Investor Relations
barron.beneski@orbitalatk.com

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OMEGA: Orbital ATK’s New Large-Class Rocket for U.S. Air Force

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 07:26:00 GMT

Orbital ATK further revealed details of its all-American OmegA™ launch vehicle supporting the Evolved, Expandable Launch Vehicle (EEVLV) program for the U.S. Air Force this week at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.

As one of the company’s largest strategic investments, OmegA will provide intermediate- to heavy-class launch services for the Department of Defense, civil government and commercial customers beginning in three years.

OmegA represents the book end of the company’s rocket lineup, from small to large class. The O and A at the beginning and end of OmegA reflect the Orbital ATK name and company innovation that is found in the vehicle. Similar to the company’s other rockets, which are named after constellations or stars, the name also represents the largest star cluster in the Milky Way. Called Omega Centauri, this cluster contains approximately 10 million stars and a total mass equivalent to 4 million solar masses. It is one of the few star clusters visible to the naked eye.

With the addition of OmegA, Orbital ATK is the only company to have operational rockets spanning from interceptors and targets to small-class (Pegasus® and Minotaur), medium-class (Antares™) to now large-class.

“We are an experienced and trusted supplier supporting some of the nation’s most critical space launch requirements,” said Mike Pinkston, Deputy General Manager of Orbital ATK’s Launch Vehicles Division. “This extensive experience is directly relevant to OmegA, as we draw from these active product lines, workforce, facilities and launch capabilities.”

OmegA is a three-stage rocket augmented by adding up to six strap-on boosters. The rocket takes advantage of flight-proven Orbital ATK avionics, software and other components that are common across all its products. The first and second stages are the company’s large-class solid propellant motors with composite cases. These can be configured in various combinations to build first and second stage boosters for intermediate- and heavy-class configurations. OmegA’s cryogenic third stage is powered by Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RL10C engine. The vehicle also incorporates Orbital ATK large composites interstages and five-meter fairing.

Because Orbital ATK is not just a launch provider, there are synergies with other parts of the company as well. For example, OmegA is capable of launching Orbital ATK-manufactured satellites.

“OmegA is very much an all-American rocket that comprises the best of what we do at Orbital ATK,” said Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK’s Flight System Group. “This includes our launch vehicles, propulsion, large composites, avionics, facilities and our experienced team of employees and suppliers. All of this equates to low cost and affordability for our customers.”

Orbital ATK has met all OmegA program milestones to date. The company has built four of the large composite motor cases, two of which are insulated and machined and ready for the first cast next week. The program remains solidly on track to complete static tests of our first and second stages by mid-2019. Orbital ATK is building tooling for the upper stage and will start producing propellant tanks early next year. Major design reviews for the launch vehicle and launch site at Kennedy Space Center will occur this summer.

Orbital ATK is working on OmegA in Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Utah, and additional work is being performed by suppliers across the country. Initial flights of OmegA’s intermediate configuration will begin in early 2021, which will certify the vehicle for EELV missions later that year. The initial heavy configuration certification flights begin in 2024.

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Orbital ATK-Built TESS Satellite Set to Begin Two-Year Mission

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Under a contract awarded by NASA in 2013, Orbital ATK designed, manufactured, integrated and tested the space agency’s next planet hunter: the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The spacecraft began its two-year mission on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 after a successful launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Throughout the initial two-year mission, the TESS spacecraft will be controlled from the Orbital ATK's Mission Operations Center in Virginia.

TESS will begin where NASA’s Kepler spacecraft left off, searching for exoplanets among other stars in the universe. TESS, however, has the ability to cover an area 400 times larger than that covered by Kepler. TESS will be the first-ever exoplanet satellite to perform a survey of the entire sky using four wide-field cameras to discover exoplanets orbiting nearby stars and will seek to identify habitable, Earth-like planets. TESS will further the study of small exoplanets, first discovered by Kepler, by examining an immense quantity of small planets that surround the sky's brightest stars. TESS stars will be 30 to 100 times brighter than those surveyed by Kepler, making the planets easier to characterize with follow-up observations that will provide planet masses, sizes, densities and atmospheric properties.

The TESS spacecraft was designed, integrated and tested at Orbital ATK's Dulles, Virginia, facility. Here, technicians are preparing the satellite for shipment to the launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

TESS was built at Orbital ATK's Satellite Manufacturing Facility in Dulles, Virginia and is based on the company's LEOStar-2™ bus. Orbital ATK has a rich history of manufacturing small space science satellites. From small, low-cost missions like GALEX, used to explore the origin and evolution of galaxies and stars, to Dawn, the first mission of its kind to orbit two interplanetary bodies in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, the company’s robust spacecraft platforms and comprehensive engineering have enabled many of the satellites, including both GALEX and Dawn, to significantly exceed their designed mission lifetimes. TESS marks the 31st science spacecraft Orbital ATK has built for NASA's research programs.

This artist's rendering shows TESS in orbit. The spacecraft is expected to discover more than 20,000 exoplanets during its two-year mission.

TESS, led and operated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a NASA Astrophysics Explorer mission managed by the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center. During its initial two-year mission, Orbital ATK will be controlled from the company’s Dulles, Virginia, Mission Operations Center.

For information on live launch coverage, click here.

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Mission Update: HYLAS 4

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 07:57:00 GMT

Launch Date:	April 5, 2018
Launch Site:	Guiana Space Center, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch Vehicle:	Arianespace Ariane 5
Mission Customer:	Avanti Communications Group plc

Mission Update

The HYLAS 4 commercial communications satellite launched aboard an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana on April 5, 2018 at 5:34 p.m. ET. HYLAS 4, designed and built at Orbital ATK's Dulles, Virginia, facility, will provide high speed and affordable broadband communications to Europe and Africa.

HYLAS 4, built on a GEOStar-3 spacecraft bus, inside Orbital ATK’s Satellite Manufacturing Facility in Dulles, Virginia, prior to its shipment to the launch site.

About Orbital ATK GEOStar Satellites

Orbital ATK’s highly successful Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) communications satellites are based on the company’s GEOStar spacecraft platform, which is able to accommodate all types of commercial communications payloads and is compatible with all major commercial launchers. The company’s GEOStar product line includes the GEOStar-2 design, which is optimized for smaller satellite missions that can support up to 5.0 kilowatts of payload power. Orbital ATK has also developed the higher power GEOStar-3 spacecraft design, delivering the next increment of payload power for applications between 5.0 and 8.0 kilowatts, allowing Orbital ATK to offer its innovative and reliable satellite design to the medium-class of communications satellites.

More Information

About Avanti

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Peacekeeper Motor Enhances Future of Space Exploration

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 08:04:00 GMT

Orbital ATK successfully tested an SR 118 rocket motor at the company’s Promontory, Utah, facility on March 29. This ground test produced just the right amount of smoke and fire – it’s always exciting to witness a rocket test or launch, and this one was no exception.

Orbital ATK's Promontory, Utah, motor test site lit up with smoke and fire on March 29 as the motor ignited to test its capabilities.

NASA and Lockheed Martin are planning to use an SR 118 rocket motor to launch the Orion spacecraft to test its Launch Abort System, prior to launching a crewed Orion aboard NASA’s Space Launch System. This Ascent Abort 2 Flight Test, AA-2, is planned for April of 2019.

The SR 118 was designed, qualified and manufactured by Orbital ATK in Promontory, Utah, for the Air Force as the first stage of the Peacekeeper InterContinental Ballistic Missile deployed by the United States starting in 1986. During development of the Peacekeeper ICBM, the company completed 23 motor development and qualification static test firings in Promontory, and 19 Flight Test Missiles were launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Upon deactivation of the program in 2002, the Peacekeeper missile had successfully completed 32 operational test and evaluation flight tests.

The SR 118 motor will be used to launch NASA's Orion spacecraft to test the Launch Abort System in 2019.

The SR 118 motor major assembly consists of a composite motor case, solid propellant, an igniter, a thrust vector system and nozzle, internal and external insulation, external protective material, and forward and aft skirts.

Today, SR118 rocket motors are used for commercial purposes such as launching payloads into orbit. Static firing individual retired rocket motors ensures those motors are safe and reliable to fly when needed.

“Orbital ATK is proud to have been a big part of the Peacekeeper ICBM, and we’re excited to see our 30-year-old rocket motors being used to enhance our country’s space exploration efforts,” said Kent Rominger, Vice President of Strategic Programs at Orbital ATK.

Click here for more information about the AA-2 flight test.

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Dulles Campus Opens Company’s First Makerspace for Employees

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Orbital ATK’s Dulles, Virginia, facility recently celebrated the opening of the campus’s new Makerspace, a creative laboratory designed to encourage employees to think outside the box when it comes to solving engineering problems.

Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group President Frank Culbertson tours the new Makerspace with employee Megan Smith.

The Makerspace hosts several 3D printers, a 90W laser cutter, voltage supplies, soldering irons, and computers with many engineering tools across several disciplines. It serves as a place for solving engineering problems and has been used to create numerous small-scale personal projects, a large demo to simulate docking with the International Space Station and a variety of tools needed for hardware tests.

“To describe it simply, makerspaces are a community center with tools,” said Marc Costantine, founder of the Dulles Makerspace. “Makerspaces combine equipment, community, and education for the purposes of enabling community members to design, prototype and create manufactured works that wouldn’t be possible to create with the resources available to individuals working alone."

The space houses numerous tools including three 3-D printers.

Members of the company’s Early Professionals Investing in Careers (EPIC) group proposed the Makerspace in 2016 after realizing they needed a centralized space to develop a demo for the USA Science and Engineering Festival. With the help of management, the group was allocated a space and a budget for materials. The team hopes the space will foster learning and innovation and provide a place to create, mentor and innovate.

“The Makerspace will foster creativity among employees,” said Costantine. “It will help build a community amongst users and creates a strong network across the company. It promotes knowledge spreading, complimentary to knowledge management and Orbital ATK Academy, and it will help get engineers familiar with the future means of manufacturing and their practical applications.”

EPIC Members Peter Kueffner (left) and Marc Costantine (right) celebrate the Makerspace grand opening with Vice President of Engineering Chris Richmond and Space Systems Group President Frank Culbertson.

Makerspace Council members Brad Hecht, Peter Kueffner, Staten Longo, Caroline Yancey. Several other employees helped develop the Makerspace, including Ryan Gould, Chris Coulter, Lindsay Podsiadlik, Jack Lawrence, Chris Richmond, and Jim Judd.

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Orbital ATK Delivers 25,000th Boeing 787 Composite Part

Mon, 19 Mar 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Orbital ATK recently completed the 25,000th composite part in support of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner program. The composite frames, the equivalent of approximately 167 ship sets, are a demonstration of Orbital ATK's ability to meet customers' high quality standards and delivery requirements.

In December 2013, Orbital ATK was selected by The Boeing Company to supply composite frames for the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner center and aft fuselages and support the same structures on the 787-10. The composite frames are produced in a 25,000 square foot clean room in the the company's Clearfield, Utah, Freeport Composite Center (FCC). Aft parts are shipped to one of Boeing's next tier suppliers in Georgia, and center parts are shipped to Leonardo in Italy for pre-assembly work where brackets and other hardware are attached. The frames are then integrated into the barrel sections of the fuselage, acting as the "ribs" of the airplane.

Orbital ATK provides various composite parts for Boeing's 787-9 aircraft.

Prior to production start, Orbital ATK had to successfully complete The Boeing Company's strict qualification to become an approved composite structures supplier. The qualification was achieved in just ten months, and pre-production verification testing of initial Boeing 787 composite frames began shortly after receiving qualification. The first production parts were completed in February of 2015, approximately one year after receiving the initial Boeing contract award.

Those first-run, Orbital ATK production composite parts were on a Boeing 787 delivered to Air Canada in July 2015. Boeing currently has an order backlog of 411 787-9 and 171 787-10 variants, collectively. The 787-10, the largest variant of the aircraft, recently completed FAA certification and is expected to enter into commercial service in the first half of 2018.

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Orbital ATK Introduces Next Generation of In-Orbit Satellite Servicing Technology

Tue, 13 Mar 2018 08:14:00 GMT

During this year’s SATELLITE 2018 Conference and Exhibition, Orbital ATK, a leader in the emerging space logistics market, debuted the next generation of in-orbit satellite serving technology with the introduction of Mission Extension Pods (MEPs)™ and the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV)™. These two products join Orbital ATK's Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)™, creating a suite of in-orbit satellite servicing products focused on extending the life of existing satellites.

Artist's rendering of a MRV carrying MEPs (right) approaching a client satellite (left).

This new system provides customers with more flexibility to extend the life and effect repairs to their valuable in-orbit satellite assets. The MEP is an external propulsion module that attaches to and provides up to five years of orbital life extension for aging satellites which are running low on fuel, but are otherwise healthy. The installation is low risk, and the customer remains in full control of their satellite before, during and after the process. While the primary application of the MRV is to transport and install MEPs or other payloads on customer satellites, it will also offer space robotic capabilities for in-orbit repairs and similar functions. SpaceLogistics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Orbital ATK, is now offering this innovative system with launch scheduled for 2021.

“The introduction of MEPs allows us to offer a complementary service alongside our MEVs to meet the industry’s needs by providing low-risk, low-cost station-keeping for geosynchronous satellites of all types,” said Tom Wilson, President of SpaceLogistics. “We always aimed to expand our fleet to provide a wide variety of space logistics services, and the MEV, MEP and MRV products give our customers the option to select exactly the kind of life extension or in-space repair they may need."

The MEV-1 core currently in production at Orbital ATK's Dulles, Virginia, facility.

Both new products leverage the design of Orbital ATK’s MEV. The company continues to make forward progress on the production of its first two MEVs. MEV-1 is scheduled to launch in late 2018, and MEV-2 is targeted for lift off in early 2020. Each MEV has a 15 year design life with the ability to perform numerous dockings and services during its life span. Intelsat is the initial customer for the first two MEVs.

The MEV, MEPs and MRV are part of SpaceLogistics longer-range plan to establish a product line of in-orbit servicing vehicles that can address diverse space logistics needs including repair, assembly, and through-space transportation. The company is also working with U.S. government agencies to develop and implement new capabilities into the MEV fleet. These include next generation life extension and repair vehicles, in-orbit assembly of large space structures and cargo delivery and logistics services to deep space gateways in Lunar and Martian orbits.

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Orbital ATK Employees Celebrate International Women's Day

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 05:00:00 GMT

Orbital ATK employees across the country commemorated International Women's Day on Thursday, March 8, by wearing purple and attending special events. Employees in the company's Flight Systems Group in Chandler, Arizona, enjoyed a special meeting of the Professional Women's Group featuring guest speaker Wendy Williams, Vice President of Strategy & Integration for Flight Systems Group.

Wendy Williams, Vice President of Strategy & Integration for Orbital ATK's Flight Systems Group, speaks to employees on International Women's Day.

"Wendy is one of the most impressive people I've ever worked with," said Scott Lehr, Flight Systems Group President, as he introduced Williams. Lehr cited a few of Williams' significant achievements during her 28-year career at Orbital ATK then continued, "There is no one else I know who has the versatility of Wendy. If you give her a project, she gets it done. She is fearless and indispensable."

Wendy Williams speaks at Launch Vehicles Division in Chandler, Arizona on International Women's Day.

In her presentation "Press for Progress Starring You," Williams encouraged attendees to be proud of who they are and remember they have the power to make positive changes in their personal and professional lives. "You have to know what motivates you, what you value, and then go for it," she said. For Williams, those motivations are personal growth, working with a strong team, and adding value. These motivations are key to the professional choices she has made. "Everyone has different values, but you have to know what you want, own it – and then execute."

Orbital ATK employees at Promontory, Utah, on International Women's Day.

Wendy also stressed having a presence versus just being present. She cited a study of college students that showed those students with a larger presence and more confident body language participated more actively and achieved better results. "Presence is confidence without arrogance and comes from trusting and believing in yourself. Communicate who you are both verbally and nonverbally, and make your presence known," she said.

Orbital ATK employees in Chandler, Arizona, wear purple to commemorate the day.

The theme for International Women's Day 2018 is #PressforProgress to recognize the progress women have made while calling for continued progress toward achieving worldwide gender parity. The color associated with this year's International Women's Day is ultra violet, chosen because it "communicates originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

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Designing the Future: Virtual Reality and Rocket Development

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:21:00 GMT

During a recent design review for Orbital ATK’s Next Generation Launch (NGL) system—a new low-risk, low-cost rocket capable of launching intermediate and heavy payloads into space—the team responded to questions from the customer by walking through the design element using virtual reality (VR).

One of the design questions was whether a technician could safely remove the thermal batteries from the rocket through a small access door. The batteries and their attachment system weigh around 25 pounds and if a launch were to be aborted right before liftoff, they would have to be removed and replaced to support a second attempt.

With the customer watching closely, the Orbital ATK engineer put on his VR headset, walked up to the virtual first stage of the rocket, opened the access door and reached for the thermal batteries. To simulate the mass of the batteries, the engineer tried to maneuver a 25 pound weight thru the virtual access door.

“We quickly learned that the batteries were just too heavy to lift out the access door, and the heavy weight could become a potential safety issue for the operator,” said Todd Warne, Orbital ATK's lead electrical engineer on NGL. “Using VR enables us to verify the design is safe and functional, and to develop rapid solutions if needed—all before building actual hardware.”

Having identified an area for improvement, the design team developed a tool that enables the technicians to safely and easily extract thermal batteries. VR helped the team ensure all safety parameters are met to protect personnel and flight hardware early in the design process.

“The saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ can now be changed to ‘a 3-D VR image can save hundreds of thousands in time and money,’” said Warne. “Being able to engage with the customer in real-time and physically walk them through the design provides a new avenue to validate our designs.”

Orbital ATK began developing next-generation VR technologies in 2015 and now has an advanced Immersive Visualization Lab at the company’s Promontory, Utah, facility that is being used for design, process and customer reviews. VR is proving to be a significant benefit in designing and developing new products, tools and processes.

Orbital ATK has already made significant progress on NGL, including upgrading facilities, building first stage hardware, conducting structure testing and working the full system design. The NGL system leverages mature, flight-proven technology from the company’s lineup of small- to medium-class rockets including Pegasus, Minotaur, and Antares.

NGL is one of Orbital ATK’s top growth initiatives, and the company has committed to investing in the development of the rocket. To date, Orbital ATK and the U.S. Air Force have invested more than $200 million. Currently, there are 200 employees working on the program, with an additional 600 planned to start in the next 24 months. The program is led out of Orbital ATK’s Chandler, Arizona, facility, with additional work being completed in company facilities across the country. Today, Orbital ATK remains on track for a ground test of NGL’s first stage propulsion in 2019, and the first certification launch scheduled for 2021.

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Orbital ATK Hosts “Go For Launch” STEM Event on Virginia Campus

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 05:00:00 GMT

Orbital ATK recently hosted the Higher Orbits "Go For Launch" educational event at its Dulles, Virginia, campus. The event uses space exploration as a platform to inspire tomorrow's scientists and engineers with interactive, hands-on activities focused on the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). As a proud sponsor of the program, Orbital ATK team members participated in presentations, mentored local high school students and conducted tours that included showcasing a Cygnus spacecraft model and visiting the company's Mission Operations Center over the two-day event. Orbital ATK has participated in similar events in the past at company locations across the nation. Higher Orbits, founded and led by Michelle Lucas, promotes STEM education through a variety of programs and partnerships such as “Go For Launch.”

Students give a "thumbs up" after completing their presentations.

Space Systems Group President Frank Culbertson was one of two former astronauts to address the students during the weekend. His "Aviate, Navigate, Communicate" presentation explained how what he learned during his collegiate, pilot, and astronaut experiences directly applies to everyday life. He shared numerous personal experiences and encouraged students to dream, plan, and achieve during presentations on Saturday and Sunday. Senior Director of Operations for Commercial Resupply Services Rick Mastracchio, also a former astronaut, addressed the students and highlighted the scientific importance of living and working on the International Space Station.

Frank Culbertson speaks to students about his military career as a Navy Test Pilot.

The main event of the "Go For Launch" weekend focused on developing student teams to design space experiments which could potentially fly on Orbital ATK's OA-10 mission to the International Space Station. For the competition, each team presented their concept and experiment to a panel of judges composed of highly-regarded members of the space community, including Orbital ATK employees. After hearing the innovative ideas from nine groups, the judges selected "Team Waffle House" as the winner. Their experiment explores whether self-healing composite materials work the same way in a microgravity environment as they do on earth.

"Team Waffle House" shows off their award for winning the Dulles, Virginia, "Go For Launch" event. (Left to right: Frank Culbertson, winning students and Michelle Lucas, Founder and President of Higher Orbits).

"Team Waffle House" will now place its experiment in competition against winning teams from San Diego, California; Gilbert, Arizona; and Houston, Texas. The winner of that divisional title will have the opportunity to see their experiment launched into space on Cygnus in 2018. For more information about Higher Orbits, click here.

A highlight of the event was a quick showcase of Orbital ATK's Cygnus Module and the Mission Operations Center where Cygnus is controlled.

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Orbital ATK Delivers Milestone 5,000th F-35 Composite Part

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 23:10:00 GMT

Orbital ATK is currently producing composite parts for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II using advanced automated and hand lay-up processing techniques. The company recently reached a significant production milestone on the program when the 5,000th F-35 composite part was produced. On February 20, the company held an event in the Freeport Composites Center (FCC) in Clearfield, Utah, to recognize employees and celebrate the program production milestone. U.S. Air Force Officers, Lockheed Martin representatives and several U.S. state and local dignitaries, including Clearfield City Mayor Mark Shepherd, attended the event.

Steve Earl, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK's Aerospace Structures Division speaks during the 5,000th F-35 Part Delivered celebration.

The 5,000 composite parts equate to approximately 430 ship-sets and demonstrates Orbital ATK's ability to meet customers' high quality standards and delivery requirements. The company currently produces upper and lower wing skins, engine nacelles, access covers, fixed skins and bullnose and blade seals for the F-35. These parts not only support the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, but its international partners as well.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations, advanced sustainment and lower operational and support costs. There are three F-35 variants to be flown by three branches of the U.S. military: the carrier variant (CV) for the U.S. Navy, the short-take off/vertical landing (STOVL) variant for the U.S. Marines and the conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variant for the U.S. Air Force. The F-35 will also be flown internationally by other partnered allied countries.

Orbital ATK Employees attend the February 20th celebratory event in Utah.

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Orbital ATK Volunteers Make an Impact at the Chandler Science Spectacular

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 05:00:00 GMT

Last weekend, thousands of children embarked on their journey through Orbital ATK's Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) exhibits at the Chandler Science Spectacular in Chandler, Arizona. Built and operated by employee volunteers, these hands-on exhibits are designed to make STEM learning fun. Exhibits included a rocket static fire, launch of an Antares model every hour, static electricity, gyros and many more.

Sixty Orbital ATK employees volunteered their time to support this year's Chandler Science Spectacular.

"As I walked around the 22 exhibits we had at the Chandler Science Spectacular, I was so impressed with our team of employees," said Rich Straka, VP and GM of Orbital ATK's Launch Vehicles Division. "Their passion, expertise and interaction with these children truly makes an impact in our community."

Along with volunteering at the Saturday event, the Orbital ATK team of volunteers meets weekly to brainstorm new ideas for the exhibits that are used at STEM events across the country. The common theme repeated during these meetings is: "Why are we here? We are here to inspire the kids."

Kids of all ages enjoyed the hands-on experiments and Orbital ATK employees enjoyed sharing their talents and knowledge.

"I love volunteering at the science spectacular, especially as you see the kids light up as they start to understand the details behind the experiment," said Monique Dalton, Orbital ATK electrical engineer working on the Next Generation Launch Vehicle. "As a female engineer, I especially like the young ladies who are really timid at first and then walk away with a smile thinking it's okay to be a girl and like science."

Dalton said the Chandler Science Spectacular gets the parents excited as well. "It is the parents who will be the ones supporting them as they continue into college and hopefully into STEM careers," she said. Many parents line up with their children to try out the exhibits themselves.

More than 3,000 parents and children attended this year's event. Now in its seventh year, the Chandler Science Spectacular continued its tradition of providing opportunities for kids to interact with STEM concepts in a fun, hands-on environment. The goal is to expose youth to the many educational facets of science and technology, while helping them explore the application of science found in Chandler, Arizona's business community.

"We had 60 employee volunteers who supported this year's Chandler Science Spectacular," said Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK's Flight Systems Group. "Their passion and dedication to sharing their knowledge of building rockets inspired many children – I'd like to thank them for giving back to the future generation of rocket scientists."

Kids of all ages enjoyed the hands-on experiments and LVD employees enjoyed sharing their talents with the kids.

This year's Chandler Science Spectacular had a new component to the event. All K-12 schools and organizations in the city's boundaries were welcome to participate in the Chandler Science Saturday Competition sponsored by Orbital ATK and Intel. Six winning teams will each be awarded a $500 prize for the most educational, most creative and most passionate projects. Winners will be announced and recognized at the next City Council meeting.

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Orbital ATK-Built Landsat 8 Celebrates Five Years in Space

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 09:38:00 GMT

On February 11, NASA’s Orbital ATK-built Landsat 8 remote sensing satellite celebrated its fifth year in space. The satellite, built on the company’s flight-proven LEOStar-3 platform, regularly acquires more than 700 scenes per day, increasing the probability of capturing cloud-free images.

Landsat 8 is preceded by seven other Landsat missions, and is operated by the Department of Interior (DOI) United States Geological Survey (USGS). The satellite uses two on board instruments to observe the Earth’s land surfaces, collecting multi-spectral land images, including infrared. The Operational Land Imager (OLI) collects land-surface data in the visible, near-infrared, and short-wave infrared spectra, and features two new spectral channels: one for coastal and aerosol studies, and another for cirrus cloud detection. The Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) collects data for two longwave (thermal) spectral bands simultaneously that are not imaged by the OLI.

Artist rendering of Landsat 8 in orbit.?

Landsat satellites provide useful imagery for those who work in fields such as agriculture, forestry, education and regional planning. Additionally, data from Landsat is crucial for disaster relief.

Landsat 8 continues the more than 45 years of global data collection and distribution of images of the Earth’s continental surfaces by the Landsat series of satellites to provide essential information to help land managers and policy makers make wise decisions about our resources and our environment. This data constitutes the longest continuous record of the Earth’s surface as seen from space. Learn more about the program here.

Orbital ATK has a long history with the Landsat program, having built Landsat 4, 5, and 8. Today, Orbital ATK is currently building the spacecraft’s successor, Landsat 9, targeted for launch in late 2020. This satellite will allow the continuation of global terrestrial imaging by extending the Landsat series of satellites to more than five decades of operation.

Landsat 8, pictured here prior to its February 11, 2013 launch, was designed and built at our Gilbert, Arizona, facility.

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Orbital ATK Flight Systems Group Highlights 2017 Success

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 05:00:00 GMT

2017 was a remarkable year of 100-percent mission success for Orbital ATK's Flight Systems Group. The group successfully completed 12 rocket launches, supported 11 additional launches with propulsion and composite structures, and manufactured 92,000 composite parts. Check out the group's highlights below.

Orbital ATK Rockets Launches

Eight target vehicles of various types launched, including a PATRIOT target, an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile target, and a new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile target.
An Orbital Launch Vehicle successfully intercepted Orbital ATK's new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile target May 30.
The successful launch of the ORS-5 mission on a Minotaur IV August 26 was Orbital ATK's first Minotaur launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
A Minotaur C successfully launched ten commercial imaging satellites for Planet October 31.
Antares launched the OA-8 resupply mission to the International Space Station November 12, carrying its heaviest load to date.

Other Flight Systems Group Milestones

Achieving significant production rate increases on commercial and military composite aircraft programs
Supporting United Launch Alliance with 27 large composite structures on one Delta II, one Delta IV and six Atlas V launches
Successfully flying nine GEM 40 and four GEM 60 motors and one RS-68 nozzle on ULA's Delta II and Delta IV launch vehicles
Successfully launching or static testing 64 solid rocket motors
Completing ten Space Launch System motor segment and casting six additional segments
Completing test hardware for the new GEM 63 solid rocket motors
Successfully static testing the Launch Abort Motor for the NASA’s Orion Spacecraft
Completing a critical structural acceptance test of the first case for Orbital ATK’s Next Generation Launch (NGL) system

2018 promises to be another exciting year, with launches of several targets, Antares, Minotaur and Pegasus as well as numerous milestones in the company's propulsion and composites businesses.

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Orbital ATK’s Advanced GEOStar-3 Satellites Take Flight in 2018

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 09:45:00 GMT

Orbital ATK is currently in the midst of launching three commercial communications satellites built on its new GEOStar-3 satellite bus. As you read this online, keep in mind that communications satellites enable the transmission of data for television, telephone, radio, internet and military applications. While the GEOStar-3 bus is the largest and most complex satellite ever built by the company, Orbital ATK’s GEOStar product line has a long legacy of providing innovative, affordable and highly reliable satellites for customers around the globe.

The first GEOStar satellite, Indostar-1, launched in 1997 and provided cable television throughout Indonesia. Since that launch, Orbital ATK has produced more than 35 GEOStar satellites for a variety of customers and missions, and when combined, the company has 290 years of cumulative GEOStar in-orbit experience.

Al Yah 3, a satellite built on a GEOStar-3 spacecraft bus, inside Orbital ATK’s Satellite Manufacturing Facility in Dulles, Virginia.

These satellites are all stationed in a geosynchronous orbit, where the satellites match Earth’s rotation. This allows the satellite to stay in place over a specific area to provide uninterrupted service.

The larger GEOStar-3 bus provides increased battery capacity and solar array power, enabling it to provide up to eight kilowatts of power to the payload, which helps customers meet the demands of our highly-connected world. The bus is also highly versatile and can be customized to fit mission needs, including compatibility with all commercially available launch vehicles and the option to launch in tandem with another spacecraft on certain launch vehicles. In addition to increased payload power, GEOStar-3 also has the option of utilizing electric propulsion, which allows it to complete its fifteen to seventeen year mission life with less fuel.

“The GEOStar-3 satellite demonstrates Orbital ATK’s ability to serve our customers’ current and emerging needs with innovative new product offerings,” said Amer Khouri, Vice President of the commercial satellite business at Orbital ATK. “Our GEOStar products are known for their reliability and are among the industry’s best selling small- and medium-class communications satellites. The GEOStar-3 combines this legacy with the most current technology to make it an ideal spacecraft bus for a variety of missions.”

Orbital ATK builds and tests its GEOStar satellites in its state-of-the-art Satellite Manufacturing Facility located in Dulles, Virginia. This 135,000 square foot facility is the largest in the United States east of the Mississippi River. The space hosts four separate clean rooms which help keep environmental pollutants, such as dust, away from sensitive spacecraft. The manufacturing facility is also home to the company’s environmental test area, which includes an anechoic radio frequency chamber that is used to measure antenna radiation patterns and electromagnetic interference, four vibration tables to mimic the vibrations a satellite will undergo during launch, and six thermal vacuum chambers which simulate the harsh environment of space.

Al Yah 3 is prepped for encapsulation at its launch site in French Guiana. (Arianespace Photo)

Beyond GEOStar spacecraft, the satellite manufacturing facility is also used to build science satellites, like the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), the Cygnus cargo resupply spacecraft which is used to deliver items to the International Space Station, and the Mission Extension Vehicle, the industry’s first commercial in-space satellite servicing system set to launch in 2018.

From GEOStars to science and environmental satellites to life extension services, Orbital ATK’s innovative technologies and products represent a proud history of aerospace excellence across all of its business units.

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Mission Update: GovSat-1 Communications Satellite

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 10:03:00 GMT

Launch Date:	January 31, 2018
Launch Site:	Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Launch Vehicle:	SpaceX Falcon 9
Mission Customer:	SES

Mission Update

The Orbital ATK-built GovSat-1 launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on January 31, 2018 at 4:25 p.m. EST. The satellite separated successfully from the launch vehicle approximately 32 minutes into the mission after reaching its targeted orbit. Orbital ATK completed the satellite’s initial post-launch health check and configuration in preparation for 16 days of orbit-raising procedures and in-orbit tests. Once testing has been completed, operational control of GovSat-1 will be handed over to GovSat.

GovSat-1, built in Orbital ATK’s satellite manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia, is based on the company's GEOStar-3 platform. It is an X-band and military Ka-band satellite that provides high-powered and fully steerable spot beams for multiple government missions. The satellite will be positioned on the European geostationary orbit arc and provide coverage to Europe, the Middle East and Africa, along with extensive maritime coverage over the Mediterranean and Baltic seas, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

GovSat-1 in Orbital ATK's Dulles, Virginia, Satellite Manufacturing Facility.

About Orbital ATK GEOStar Satellites

More Information

About SES

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Mission Update: Al Yah 3 Communications Satellite

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 19:11:00 GMT

Launch Date:	January 25, 2018
Launch Site:	Guiana Space Center, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch Vehicle:	Arianespace Ariane 5
Mission Customer:	Yahsat

Mission Update

January 26, 2018

The Al Yah 3 commercial communications satellite is in good health after a launch deviation occurred shortly after liftoff on January 25 from Kourou, French Guiana. The mission experienced some challenges during the launch stages which resulted in the Al Yah 3 satellite being inserted into an orbit that differed from the flight plan. The satellite was successfully acquired by the Orbital ATK mission operations team and is healthy and operating nominally. A revised flight plan will be executed in order to achieve the operational orbit and fulfill the original mission.

The Al Yah 3 satellite carries 53 active Ka-band user beams and four gateway beams, and produces approximately 7.5 kilowatts of payload electrical power. The Ka-band spot beams provide two-way communications services to facilitate high-speed delivery of data to end-user applications such as broadband Internet and corporate networking as well as IP backhaul for telecommunications service providers. Using the Al Yah 3 spacecraft, Yahsat will provide its services to Africa and Brazil. Orbital ATK was selected by Yahsat to build Al Yah 3. The Al Yah 3 satellite design is based on Orbital ATK’s GEOStar™-3 satellite platform, and was manufactured and tested at Orbital ATK’s state-of-the-art satellite manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia.

Al Yah 3, built on a GEOStar-3 spacecraft bus, inside Orbital ATK’s Satellite Manufacturing Facility inDulles, Virginia prior to its shipment to the launch site.

About Orbital ATK GEOStar Satellites

More Information

About Yahsat

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