ATK to supply rocket motors

Alliant Techsystems received a contract valued at nearly $5m to manufacture fifteen Oriole solid propellant rocket motors for use in testing US missile defence capabilities.

The contract was awarded to ATK by DTI Associates, Arlington, Virginia to supply rocket motors for use by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the US Navy. There is potential for a follow-on contract worth an additional $2m to $3m that could be awarded in 2008.

The Missile Defense Agency and the US Navy identified the Oriole as a low cost solution to meet their requirements for testing U.S. missile defence systems by providing a realistic missile threat.

For this application the Oriole rocket motor will be used as a second stage mated to a Terrier Mk 70 rocket first stage booster. The vehicle system will be used as a target for testing.

The Oriole rocket motor was originally developed to provide additional boost capability for the NASA space science program and to deliver small payloads into seven minutes of microgravity environment. The Oriole booster has achieved five successful launches to date.

Production of the Oriole rocket motors is expected to begin in this month with deliveries planned for November 2007. All work on the Oriole rocket motors will be performed at ATK's Rocket Center, West Virginia facility. ATK began production of the Oriole rocket motor in 1999 and has delivered a total of seven units to DTI.