Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. KTOS +9.74% , a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced today the successful launch by NASA of an Oriole rocket system produced by its Rocket Support Services (RSS) business unit located in Glen Burnie, Maryland. This was the first Oriole rocket launched by NASA and was one of five rockets launched from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, VA, over a six minute period as part of a study of the upper level jet stream. The rockets carried payloads which released chemical tracers that created milky, white clouds at the edge of space that were visible throughout the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region.
As noted by NASA, the mission, dubbed the Anomalous Transport Rocket Experiment (ATREX), was performed to gather information needed to better understand the process responsible for the high-altitude jet stream located 60 to 65 miles above the Earth’s surface. NASA has initially purchased six Oriole rocket systems from Kratos to support the program.
Dave Carter, President of Kratos’ Defense Engineering Solutions division, stated, “We are very pleased with the successful inaugural Oriole launch by NASA and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship providing Oriole rocket systems to support the NASA Sounding Rocket Program. The Oriole rocket system is very versatile and was developed to support technology research and missile defense target programs, in addition to scientific research.”
Eric DeMarco, Kratos’ President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “The NASA Sounding Rocket Program has a long and enviable history supporting upper atmospheric and other suborbital scientific research. Kratos is proud to provide the Oriole to augment NASA’s family of suborbital rocket systems.”
About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. KTOS +9.74% is a specialized National Security technology business providing mission critical products, services and solutions for United States National Security priorities. Kratos’ core capabilities are sophisticated engineering, manufacturing and system integration offerings for National Security platforms and programs. Kratos’ areas of expertise include Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Combat Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR), satellite communication systems, unmanned systems, cyber warfare, cyber security, information assurance, critical infrastructure security and weapons systems sustainment. Kratos has primarily an engineering and technical oriented work force of approximately 4,000, many of whom hold an active National Security clearance, including Secret, Top Secret and higher. The vast majority of Kratos’ work is performed on a military base, in a secure facility or at a critical infrastructure location. Kratos’ primary end customers are United States Federal Government agencies, including the Department of Defense, classified agencies, intelligence agencies and Homeland Security related agencies. News and information are available at www.KratosDefense.com .
