Design Features Advanced High Thrust Steering Control System
DULLES, Va.Apr. 7, 2015--
Orbital ATK, Inc. (NYSE:OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies, announced today that it has signed a $90 million contract
with Lockheed Martin to provide the Attitude Control Motor (ACM) for
Orion s Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS enables the astronaut crew to
safely escape in the event of an emergency during launch, as the capsule
is jettisoned away from the launch vehicle.
The Orion spacecraft, designed and built for NASA, will transport
astronauts to destinations in deep space and return them safely back
to Earth.
"Orbital ATK is honored to be a major contributor to the Orion team, and
our Elkton team is very proud of their contributions to the Launch Abort
System," said Cary Ralston, vice president and general manager of
Orbital ATK s Missile Products division of the Defense Systems Group.
Orion represents the future of manned spaceflight, and will take humans
deeper into space than ever before. Working with Lockheed Martin and
NASA, Orbital ATK is committed to making spaceflight safer than ever
before for our astronauts.
Orbital ATK s continued support to NASA demonstrates our long-standing
commitment to our nation s human spaceflight program, said Mike Kahn,
president of Orbital ATK s Defense Systems Group. This critical work
supporting Lockheed Martin on the Orion program recognizes our long
history of safety, reliability and innovation.
The ACM provides the steering controls to the LAS, using a solid
propellant gas generator with eight proportional valves equally spaced
around its 3-foot diameter to steer Orion as it moves away from the
launch vehicle. The motor can exert up to 7,000 pounds of steering force
in any direction.
To date Orbital ATK has performed several successful ground tests on the
ACM, provided a working unit for the successful pad abort test in 2010,
and supplied the inert unit which flew as part of Orion s first test
flight, Exploration Flight Test-1 in December 2014. The ACM adds to
Orbital ATK's contributions to the LAS, which already includes the
primary launch abort motor and the initial system design and engineering.
Orbital ATK s Defense Group is an industry leader in providing
innovative and affordable ammunition, precision and strike weapons,
electronic warfare systems, and missile components across air-, sea-,
and land-based systems.
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 more than 12,000 people in 20 states across the United States
and in several international locations. For more information, visit www.orbitalatk.com.

Source: Orbital ATK, Inc.
Media Contact:
Defense Systems Group Communications
Bryan
Kidder, 410-864-4932
bryan.kidder@orbitalatk.com
or
Investor
Contact:
Orbital ATK, Inc.
Barron Beneski, 703-406-5528
barron.beneski@orbitalatk.com