Orbital Sciences
Corporation announced today that it recently carried out
another successful launch of a missile defense-related target rocket
for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The latest success for an
Orbital-built missile occurred on Thursday, November 18 at the White
Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Orbital launched this suborbital
target vehicle for the Missile Defense Agency’s Maneuvering Tactical
Target Vehicle (MTTV) program. The MTTV rocket, which performed its
mission as planned, was used as a target to test the Patriot missile
defense system.

“It has been an extraordinarily busy and successful two-week
period for our launch teams, culminating with the successful MTTV
launch for the Missile Defense Agency,” said Mr. Ron Grabe, Executive
Vice President and General Manager of the Company’s Launch Systems
Group. “We are very proud of our record of supporting MDA’s flight
test programs with the most reliable target vehicles in the industry.
We look forward to our future missions that will help MDA develop,
test and deploy effective missile defense systems.”

Orbital provided and tested the rocket’s guidance and separation
systems, performed all vehicle design, production and integration
activities and conducted all launch day mission operations. The MTTV
rocket is a single stage vehicle which uses a retired U.S. government
rocket engine from the Minuteman ICBM program and a modified Pershing
II reentry vehicle.

About Orbital

Orbital develops and manufactures small space systems for
military, commercial and civil government customers. The company’s
primary products are launch vehicles and satellites, including missile
defense boosters that are used as interceptor and target vehicles,
ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into orbit,
and low-orbit, geostationary and planetary spacecraft for
communications, remote sensing and scientific missions. Orbital also
offers space-related technical services to government agencies and
develops and builds satellite-based transportation management systems
for public transit agencies and private vehicle fleet operators.

More information about Orbital can be found at
http://www.orbital.com