Orbital ATK Set to Launch Minotaur C Rocket Carrying SkySat and Dove Spacecraft for Planet
October 30 2017 - 2:44PM
Business Wire
Commercial Launch and Mission to Send 10
Spacecraft to Orbit
Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies, today announced it is in final preparations to launch
the company’s Minotaur C rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base,
California, on October 31 at approximately 2:37 p.m. PDT. The
Minotaur C will carry Planet’s SkySat and Dove spacecraft, which
will capture medium and high resolution multispectral imagery of
Earth at unprecedented scale and frequency for the commercial
market. Approximately 12 minutes into flight the ten Planet
spacecraft will deploy into their targeted sun synchronous orbit
310 miles (500 kilometers) above the Earth.
“We are looking forward to launching Planet’s spacecraft, which
will provide incredible data for commercial use,” said Rich Straka,
Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK’s Launch Vehicles
Division. “The Minotaur C provides an excellent low-cost option for
small to medium spacecraft providers.”
The Minotaur C rocket is an all commercial vehicle capable of
launching payloads up to 3,500 lbs. The Minotaur C space launch
vehicle is a variant of the Minotaur product line designed to
support U.S. government and commercial customers. Minotaur C
employs four Orbital ATK solid rocket motors as its propulsion
system, all of which have been flown dozens of times and are
thoroughly flight-proven in various combinations on the company's
other small space launch vehicles, including Pegasus, Taurus and
Minotaur, as well as on the Orbital Boost Vehicle (OBV) long-range
missile defense interceptor.
The constellation of seven SkySats, soon to be 13, is the
world’s largest commercial fleet of high-res satellites operating
in space. Together, the Dove and SkySat network of remote sensing
satellites deliver a global information feed to businesses,
governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) around the
world.
Live coverage of the Minotaur launch will be available at
www.orbitalatk.com starting 20 minutes before liftoff. Details
about the mission can also be found on the website.
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 13,000 people across the U.S. and in several
international locations. For more information, visit
www.orbitalatk.com.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171030006048/en/
Media Contact:Orbital ATKTrina Patterson,
801-699-0943Launch Vehicles Division
Communicationstrina.patterson@orbitalatk.comorInvestor
Contact:Orbital ATKBarron Beneski, 703-406-5528Public and
Investor Relationsbarron.beneski@orbitalatk.com
Orbital Atk, Inc. (delisted) (NYSE:OA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
Orbital Atk, Inc. (delisted) (NYSE:OA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024