Wed, Jun 08, 2005
Averages One Rocket or Satellite Delivery Every 17 Days Over
Past 23 Years
Orbital Sciences Corporation reached a significant operational
milestone late last week when the company delivered its 500th space
and launch system since the company was founded 23 years ago.
As one of the most active developers of many types of satellites
and rocket systems and the clear leader in the market for
smaller-sized, more affordable and responsive space systems,
Orbital has averaged one product delivery to customers every 17
days since 1982. The pace of operational activity has also been on
a steep upward trajectory over the past decade, with 342 of the
company's 500 deliveries taking place in the last 10 years alone,
or about one delivery every 10 days since mid-1995.
"We are very proud to
have served our customers with numerous, innovative and reliable
space and launch systems for the past 23 years," said Mr. David W.
Thompson, Orbital's co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer. "As one of only a handful of successful companies in the
space and missiles industry born in the last several decades,
Orbital's 500th delivery is a special milestone for all those
employees, past and present, who have contributed so much to
meeting our customers' needs."
Orbital achieved its 500th delivery when the company delivered
and launched two Vandal short-range target vehicles for the U.S.
Navy on Thursday, June 2. Included in the 500 space and launch
vehicles that Orbital has designed, built and tested for a variety
of government and commercial customers are these major types:
- 93 Satellites. Orbital's satellite deliveries include 7
geosynchronous-orbit commercial communications spacecraft, 17
small- to medium-class (between 250 and 3,000 kg.) low-Earth orbit
satellites and 69 microsatellites (under 250 kg.). These spacecraft
were built for a range of national security, civil government and
commercial customers in order to perform defense, space science,
Earth observation, technology demonstration and fixed, mobile and
broadcast communications missions.
- 25 Other Space Systems.
Space system deliveries in this category include 10 major payloads
aboard the Space Shuttle (including space support equipment for
four Hubble servicing missions) and 15 major subsystems delivered
to other satellite manufacturers.
- 66 Space and Interceptor Launch Vehicles. As the undisputed
leader in the market for smaller-sized rocket systems, Orbital has
built 39 Pegasus space and hypersonic research launch vehicles
(shown right), 17 Orbital Boost Vehicle (OBV) missile defense
interceptor boosters and 10 Taurus and Minotaur space launch
vehicles.
- 107 Major Target Launch Vehicles. Used to test the U.S. theater
and national missile defense systems, Orbital has built and
launched 10 long-range strategic target rockets and 97 medium-range
tactical target rockets for a variety of U.S. military
customers.
- 209 Other Small Rockets. Orbital has carried out a variety of
scientific sounding rocket launches for NASA, universities and
other research centers that now total 130 missions. Orbital has
also emerged as the country's leader in ramjet-powered,
low-altitude targets for the U.S. Navy, having delivered 71 such
systems over the last five years, as well as conducting eight other
small targets and sounding rocket launches, primarily for the U.S.
Department of Defense.
Mr. Thompson continued his remarks, saying, "Today, Orbital is
busier than at any time in our history. With a growing contract
backlog and a workforce approaching 3,000 employees, we expect to
continue to be one of the industry's most active developers and
manufacturers in the years ahead. We look forward to reaching our
1,000th space and launch system delivery in less than half the time
it took to reach or first 500th delivery milestone."
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