Spaceflight Insider

News Archive / Tagged: ATK

  • NASA / ATK prep five-segment SLS booster for March 11 test fire

    Scott JohnsonFebruary 3rd, 2015

    PROMONTORY, Utah — The next major milestone in the development of NASA’s new human-rated heavy-lift vehicle, the Space Launch System (SLS ), is scheduled to take place on March 11 — a planned test of the largest solid rocket booster (SRB) ever built for flight. It marks a distinct ramp up in the process toward having the massive booster […]

  • Orbital Sciences Corp.’s stockholders approve Feb. 9 merger with ATK

    Jason RhianJanuary 27th, 2015

    Dulles, Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corporation’s stockholders have approved a merger with the Aerospace and Defense Groups of Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK ), based out of Utah. The newly-formed Orbital-ATK will officially begin operations on Feb. 10 – the day after the merger is officially closed. The announcement comes after a special meeting held on Jan. […]

  • Partners announced in latest NASA commercial collaboration

    Josh TallisJanuary 12th, 2015

    In late December of 2014, NASA announced the participation of four companies collaborating in the space agency’s unfunded milestone program to develop greater private space capacity. The selection comes after a year of intense private-public partnerships intended by the space agency to encourage innovation across America’s aerospace industry.

  • NASA Selects Commercial Space Partners for Collaborative Partnerships

    Jason RhianDecember 24th, 2014

    On Tuesday, Dec. 23 NASA announced that the space agency had tapped four aerospace firms to further its efforts to develop new space capabilities. What NASA has called the Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities (CCSC ) initiative, in an unfunded agreement with these companies to further the agency’s various commercial efforts and is meant to […]

  • Insider Interview: Former astronaut details what is required to send crews to Mars

    Jason RhianDecember 23rd, 2014

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla – There are few people in the world today who have traveled into the black of space, fewer still who have commanded missions to orbit. ATK’s Kent Rominger – is both and he is currently one of the people working to enable NASA’s crewed deep space exploration objectives. During the lead […]

  • America ‘On Board’ for Orion’s first launch

    Tomasz NowakowskiNovember 30th, 2014

    The first Orion spacecraft launch is just days four away, so the excitement grows in the United States for this maiden flight, which might pave the way for future missions into deep space. When NASA asked people earlier this year to show their support for Orion’s first mission, the nation confirmed that Americans are really “On Board” for […]

  • Road to EFT-1: Orion fueled for flight, ATK tests launch abort motor igniter

    Jason RhianOctober 1st, 2014

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla — NASA’s next-generation Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle is getting closer to the day when the next-generation spacecraft will finally travel into the black. NASA has promoted the spacecraft as the foundation on which the agency will make its first steps towards a renewed era of human spaceflight. On Monday, Sept 29, the spacecraft underwent some of […]

  • ATK suggests solid rocket alternative to Russian-made RD-180

    Jason RhianSeptember 25th, 2014

    The movement to replace the Russian-made RD-180 rocket engine is picking up speed. United Launch Alliance (ULA ) and Blue Origin recently announced that the BE-4 rocket engine, produced by Blue Origin LLC, will be developed to replace the RD-180. Not to be outdone, Utah-based ATK has announced that it has provided the United States […]