ATK Corp. has won an initial $48 million contract to supply its Orion solid rocket motors to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s intermediate range ballistic missile program.
The subcontract award was given by Orbital Sciences Corp., the prime contractor for the IRBM program.
ATK’s contract includes an initial award for the first eight Orion motors vehicles to be delivered by first quarter 2013. The Orion solid rocket motors will provide both first- and second-stage propulsion for the target rocket.
“This is an entirely new application for our versatile Orion solid rocket motor family, ” said Scott Lehr, ATK’ Aerospace Systems vice president and general manager of Strategic and Commercial Systems. “ATK Orion motors are currently used by MDA and Orbital for missile defense and in a variety of Orbital commercial launch vehicles.”
