Company to Debut Enhanced Cygnus Spacecraft Named S.S. Deke Slayton
II
OA-4 Mission Marks First Launch of Cygnus Aboard ULA Atlas V Rocket
Demonstrating Spacecraft Compatibility with Multiple Launch Vehicles
DULLES, Va.Dec. 1, 2015--
Orbital
ATK, Inc. (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies, today announced it is in final preparations for the
company s next CygnusTM
spacecraft cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This
mission marks the first launch of a Cygnus spacecraft aboard a United
Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket and will be Orbital ATK s fourth
operational mission (OA-4) to the ISS for NASA under the Commercial
Resupply Services (CRS) contract. The mission also marks the debut
of the enhanced Cygnus, which will carry approximately 7,700 pounds
(3,500 kilograms) of cargo to astronauts aboard the ISS.
Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft is prepared for Thursday's launch from Kennedy Space Center. (NASA Photo)
Pending completion of final vehicle testing and acceptable local weather
conditions, the launch is scheduled for Thursday, December 3, at 5:55
p.m. (EST) from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station in Florida. Cygnus will be launched into a targeted orbit of 143
x 144 miles above the Earth, inclined at 51.64 degrees to the equator.
Following in-orbit activation and testing after launch, the spacecraft
will rendezvous and berth with the ISS December 6 at approximately 5:30
a.m. EST. Live coverage of the launch and ISS berthing will be available
on NASA Television at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.
Orbital ATK has named the OA-4 Cygnus the S.S. Deke Slayton II,
upholding the tradition of naming each Cygnus in honor of astronauts and
individuals who contributed to the United States commercial space
program.
With the naming of this spacecraft, we continue our commitment to honor
the late Donald Deke K. Slayton, one of the original Mercury Seven
astronauts and a champion of America s commercial space program and
leadership in space, said Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK s
Space Systems Group. We are pleased that the enhanced Cygnus that bears
his name will be able to provide up to 53 percent more in cargo weight
to the International Space Station than our previously flown standard
version.
Cygnus, like most Orbital ATK spacecraft, is compatible with multiple
launch vehicles, enabling the use of ULA s Atlas V launch vehicle on
this mission. The enhanced Cygnus has several new features, including
lightweight UltraFlexTM solar arrays, a mass optimized
Service Module structure and a lighter weight propulsion system. In
addition to food, clothing, crew supplies, spare parts and equipment,
the Cygnus spacecraft is carrying science experiments to expand the
research capability of the Expedition 45 and 46 crew members aboard the
orbiting laboratory.
Orbital ATK has three CRS missions scheduled in 2016 to support NASA s
ISS cargo needs. A second Cygnus/Atlas V launch will take place next
spring from Florida, followed by the return of operations to NASA s
Wallops Flight Facility in mid-2016 where the company will continue CRS
missions atop the upgraded Antares rocket.
Under the CRS contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately
62,000 pounds (28,000 kilograms) of cargo to the ISS over 10 missions
through 2018. The partnership is changing the way NASA does business,
helping build a strong American commercial space industry and freeing
the agency to focus on developing the next-generation rocket and
spacecraft that will enable humans to travel farther in space than ever
before.
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 12,000 people in 20 states across the U.S. and in
several international locations. For more information, visit www.orbitalatk.com.
Source: Orbital ATK, Inc.
Orbital ATK
Media Contact:
Sean Wilson, 832-415-1254
Director,
Corporate Communications
sean.wilson@orbitalatk.com
or
Investor
Contact:
Barron Beneski, 703-406-5528
Public and Investor
Relations
barron.beneski@orbitalatk.com