Showing posts with label ATK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ATK. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
ATK and NASA Sign Space Act Agreement for Liberty Launch System
ATK and NASA signed an unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) June 7, 2012 to work together during the development of ATK’s commercial Liberty™ Launch System, an agreement that also supports the 2010 National Space Policy by furthering international partnerships.
More on this agreement
The Liberty launch vehicle is a concept proprosed to NASA by ATK and Astrium under phase 2 of the NASA Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program.
Liberty is a combination of hardware from the defunct Ares I project (the 5-segment version of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster for a first stage) and from the Ariane 5 launcher (the Vulcain cryogenic main engine, which was slated to carry the Hermes spacecraft as a second stage).
It is projected that the first launch will be as early as 2013, with astronauts launching by 2015.
Liberty is advertised as a vehicle to service the International Space Station for crew and cargo, but its capacities and cost could make it also a launcher for government and commercial satellites, including to Geostationary transfer orbit.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Tea Party In Space (TPIS) - Space Launch System
Tea Party in Space (TPIS), a non-partisan organization, today strongly condemned a letter being circulated in the US Senate that advocates a sole-source bailout for the Solid Rocket Motor industry.
The letter, addressed to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and OMB Director Jack Lew, demands that the Administration ignore recent bipartisan calls for competing major elements of the proposed Space Launch System and instead use existing Solid Rocket Boosters made by only one company, Alliant Techsystems (ATK), in Utah.
The letter makes clear that the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 was designed to earmark several billion dollars for existing Shuttle and Ares contractors such as ATK. In fact, at the time the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation reported out the authorization bill, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) declared:
“…the Commerce Committee’s bill has established certain requirements which the [Space Launch] System must meet. After speaking with experts in Utah, it is their conclusion that these requirements can only be realistically accomplished by using solid rocket motors.”
This comment is echoed in the letter circulating in the Senate:
“These same experts also determined these legal requirements could only be realistically met through the use of solid rocket motors.”
“Senator Hatch should publicly disown this letter immediately if he is not involved,” said Tea Party in Space President Andrew Gasser, “and any Senator who signs this letter should be ashamed for trying to force this multi-billion dollar bailout earmark down taxpayers throats when the US government is facing a financial crisis over the national debt.”
“Solid Rocket Boosters are one choice available to NASA, but they are not the only choice” stated Isaac Mooers, TPIS Director of Operations. “The existing, flight-proven Atlas V and Falcon 9 could both serve as boosters for initial SLS flights while more advanced liquid rockets are commercially developed. Competition is the only fiscally responsible way to buy boosters for the SLS.”
TPIS and its volunteer network will be reaching out nationwide to candidates and elected officials of all parties, to ensure that this sole-source earmark is terminated.
The letter, addressed to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and OMB Director Jack Lew, demands that the Administration ignore recent bipartisan calls for competing major elements of the proposed Space Launch System and instead use existing Solid Rocket Boosters made by only one company, Alliant Techsystems (ATK), in Utah.
The letter makes clear that the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 was designed to earmark several billion dollars for existing Shuttle and Ares contractors such as ATK. In fact, at the time the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation reported out the authorization bill, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) declared:
“…the Commerce Committee’s bill has established certain requirements which the [Space Launch] System must meet. After speaking with experts in Utah, it is their conclusion that these requirements can only be realistically accomplished by using solid rocket motors.”
This comment is echoed in the letter circulating in the Senate:
“These same experts also determined these legal requirements could only be realistically met through the use of solid rocket motors.”
“Senator Hatch should publicly disown this letter immediately if he is not involved,” said Tea Party in Space President Andrew Gasser, “and any Senator who signs this letter should be ashamed for trying to force this multi-billion dollar bailout earmark down taxpayers throats when the US government is facing a financial crisis over the national debt.”
“Solid Rocket Boosters are one choice available to NASA, but they are not the only choice” stated Isaac Mooers, TPIS Director of Operations. “The existing, flight-proven Atlas V and Falcon 9 could both serve as boosters for initial SLS flights while more advanced liquid rockets are commercially developed. Competition is the only fiscally responsible way to buy boosters for the SLS.”
TPIS and its volunteer network will be reaching out nationwide to candidates and elected officials of all parties, to ensure that this sole-source earmark is terminated.
Monday, February 8, 2010
ATK Sets Final Shuttle Rocket Test
ATK Space Systems in Promontory Utah says the ground test, scheduled for February 25, will signal the end of the space shuttle program.
ATK, the company that makes booster rockets for the space shuttle, says it will conduct a final test firing in northern Utah later this month.
NASA had intended to replace the space shuttle with a new spaceship and launcher for travel to the moon and beyond, however, President Barack Obama has proposed scrapping the new program for something different, leaving NASA's longtime contractor in Utah with an uncertain future.
Clearfield-based ATK Space Systems has laid off 970 workers in Utah since October, citing the phase-out of the space shuttle and the Minuteman III ballistic missile programs.
ATK, the company that makes booster rockets for the space shuttle, says it will conduct a final test firing in northern Utah later this month.
NASA had intended to replace the space shuttle with a new spaceship and launcher for travel to the moon and beyond, however, President Barack Obama has proposed scrapping the new program for something different, leaving NASA's longtime contractor in Utah with an uncertain future.
Clearfield-based ATK Space Systems has laid off 970 workers in Utah since October, citing the phase-out of the space shuttle and the Minuteman III ballistic missile programs.
Monday, August 10, 2009
ATK Test Fires Orion Rocket
August 25th will be the date for the test-firing of a rocket that will launch the future Orion space craft into orbit, marking a new era of space exploration.
The test is scheduled for August 25 at ATK Promontory, 65 miles north of Salt Lake City.
The first stage of the Ares 1 rocket -- under development for four years -- will be fired in a horizontal position.
It will be wired up with sensors to monitor 46 performance objectives.
NASA officials have said the first manned flight of the Orion craft could take place in 2015, ferrying crews to the space station initially then ultimately taking crews back to the moon.
The test is scheduled for August 25 at ATK Promontory, 65 miles north of Salt Lake City.
The first stage of the Ares 1 rocket -- under development for four years -- will be fired in a horizontal position.
It will be wired up with sensors to monitor 46 performance objectives.
NASA officials have said the first manned flight of the Orion craft could take place in 2015, ferrying crews to the space station initially then ultimately taking crews back to the moon.
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