Northrop Grumman to Acquire Orbital ATK

Northrop Grumman is getting more into the space launch business with it's purchase of Orbital ATK (formerly Orbital Sciences Corporation), the maker of the Cygnus Resupply Vehicle (which conducts resupply missions to the ISS) and the Antares rocket launch vehicle.

Orbital also has smaller launch-to-orbit launch vehicles such as the Minitour family of rockets, plus Pegasus rockets, which are launched from planes.

The ATK part of "Orbital ATK" included the old "Thiokol Corporation", which built the solid rocket boosters used during Space Shuttle launches. Orbital ATK is also currently involved with providing solid booster technology for NASA's next generation of Launch vehicles -- the SLS family of rockets.

The "Grumman" part of Northrop Grumman was previously a major player in the Apollo mission. Grumman (prior to being acquired by Northrop) was the designer and manufacturer of the iconic Apollo Lunar Lander.

Northrop Grumman is also currently the primary contractor for the James Webb Telescope, and is the building of the B-2 Stealth Bomber.

Northrop Grumman to acquire Orbital ATK

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

B-21, not B-2. They already built the B-2.

What could make this interesting is that Orbital was selected to build the engines for the ICBM replacement program that was just downselected to Northrop and Boeing.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

B-21, not B-2. They already built the B-2.

What could make this interesting is that Orbital was selected to build the engines for the ICBM replacement program that was just downselected to Northrop and Boeing.

Thanks. I meant to say "is the builder of the B-2" (and maybe "was", not "is" -- but that's semantics).

But you are right about the B-21.

However, he said Boeing and Northrop each are now "competing to be the eventual prime contractor" on the GBSD program. "You went from three competitors to two. You went from what I call broad concepts to now, two competing designers, who will come up with an industrialization concept that will...probably have some testing done to prove certain points along the way."

Boeing has yet to announce all of its partners in the GBSD program, and Northrop has announced some but not all.

Rubel said in a research note that he expects Orbital ATK and Aerjet Rocketdyne to also eventually get some work from the GBSD "as producers of large solid rocket motors. We expect the two companies to split the propulsion work in some fashion."

This is the first of several phases in the contract process for the GBSD program, although the Pentagon isn't expected to settle on a sole contractor for another few years. Production and then deployment aren't expected until the late 2020s.

www.cnbc.com...

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

Northrop Grumman is getting more into the space launch business with it's purchase of Orbital ATK (formerly Orbital Sciences Corporation), the maker of the Cygnus Resupply Vehicle (which conducts resupply missions to the ISS) and the Antares rocket launch vehicle.

I bet their military industrial complex is expanding. War is a business, and business is goood!

"Morton Thiokol brought teacher-hazing into the Space Age." -- P. J. O'Rourke