Rocketplane Kistler and ATK Announce Agreement

[bpfeifer]

I'm just surprised I haven't seen any discussion about this in the list: <br /><br />Alliant Techsystems News <br /><news@atk.mediaroom.com /> to atk<br /> More options Nov 8 (2 days ago)<br />News Release Issued: November 8, 2006 12:17 PM EST<br /><br />Rocketplane Kistler and ATK Announce Agreement for K-1 Launch Vehicle and<br />COTS Program<br /><br />ATK Will Lead Vehicle Development, Vehicle Assembly, Integration and Test,<br />and Launch and Landing Site Operations<br /><br />OKLAHOMA CITY and SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --<br />Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) and Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) announced today<br />that ATK will become the lead contractor for RpK's K-1 launch vehicle, which<br />was recently awarded a Space Act Agreement by NASA for the Commercial Orbital<br />Transportation Services (COTS) program. The K-1 is a fully reusable space<br />transportation system designed to provide cost-effective and reliable<br />transport of cargo and science payloads to and from the International Space<br />Station (ISS).<br /><br />(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061108/CGW047 )<br /><br />Under terms of the agreement, ATK will provide launch vehicle development,<br />assembly, integration and test of the launch system, and will conduct launch<br />and landing site development and launch vehicle preparation for the K-1. ATK<br />will also develop and produce critical composite structures and subsystems for<br />the pressurized and unpressurized K-1 cargo modules, and conduct vehicle<br />recovery and refurbishment.<br /><br />"ATK is a great partner with demonstrated experience and skills that<br />strengthen our team," said Randy Brinkley, RpK President. "We look forward to<br />the capabilities this partnership will contribute to the K-1 vehicle, and also<br />the COTS program."<br /><br />"We look forward to helping RpK develop this new launch capability," said Ron<br />Ditte <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Brian J. Pfeifer http://sabletower.wordpress.com<br /> The Dogsoldier Codex http://www.lulu.com/sabletower<br /> </div>

 

[spacester]

Wow, I totally missed this in the election excitement. Thanks for the link!<br /><br />It appears to be great news, but I haven't really checked it out yet. ATK is not a small outfit, that much I know. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bpfeifer]

Interstingly, it turns out that ATK had been wooing Kistler, and not the other way around <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Brian J. Pfeifer http://sabletower.wordpress.com<br /> The Dogsoldier Codex http://www.lulu.com/sabletower<br /> </div>