Orbital ATK, Inc. (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, supported today’s successful launch of a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The rocket launched a classified satellite, designated NROL-37, for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office in support of a national security mission.
“Orbital ATK-produced structures and components on the ULA Delta IV heavy launch vehicle contributed to another successful launch today,” said Steve Earl, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK’s Aerospace Structures Division. “Our integrated products play a vital role in delivering on mission commitments critical to national security.”
Orbital ATK’s contributions to the ULA Delta IV heavy rocket include 10 key large composite structures including three thermal shields that house and protect the engines during flight, three centerbody structures that connect the liquid oxygen (LO2) and liquid hydrogen (LH2) tanks, the composite interstage on the center common booster core, the nose cones on the two strap-on boosters and one set of X-panel structures that connect the upper stage LOX tank with the upper stage hydrogen tank. The large-scale composite structures measure four to five meters in diameter and range from one to 15 meters in length. Orbital ATK produced them all using advanced hand layup, machining and inspection techniques at the company’s manufacturing facility in Iuka, Mississippi.
Other Orbital ATK products integrated on the ULA Delta IV heavy launch vehicle include four booster rocket separation motors for the launch vehicle manufactured at Orbital ATK’s Rocket City, West Virginia, facility. The motors ignite when the core stage burn is complete to assist booster separation from center core.
Orbital ATK also designed and produced the nozzles for the three Aerojet-Rocketdyne RS-68 engines, as well as the nozzles’ innovative thermal protection material, which is capable of shielding them from the extreme heat of launch when external temperatures can exceed 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Orbital ATK manufactured the nozzle at its Promontory, Utah, facility. Additionally, the company manufactured the propellant tank for the Delta IV upper stage roll control system at its Commerce, California, facility.
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 18 states across the U.S. and in several international locations. For more information, visit www.orbitalatk.com.
