OKLAHOMA CITY and SALT LAKE CITY --- Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) and Alliant Techsystems announced today that ATK will become the lead contractor for RpK's K-1 launch vehicle, which was recently awarded a Space Act Agreement by NASA for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.
The K-1 is a fully reusable space transportation system designed to provide cost-effective and reliable transport of cargo and science payloads to and from the International Space Station (ISS).
Under terms of the agreement, ATK will provide launch vehicle development, assembly, integration and test of the launch system, and will conduct launch and landing site development and launch vehicle preparation for the K-1. ATK will also develop and produce critical composite structures and subsystems for the pressurized and unpressurized K-1 cargo modules, and conduct vehicle recovery and refurbishment.
"ATK is a great partner with demonstrated experience and skills that strengthen our team," said Randy Brinkley, RpK President. "We look forward to the capabilities this partnership will contribute to the K-1 vehicle, and also the COTS program."
"We look forward to helping RpK develop this new launch capability," said Ron Dittemore, President, ATK Launch Systems Group. "A tenet of the Space Policy encourages entrepreneurial efforts to develop commercial access to space, and it is our intention to help RpK achieve this objective."
ATK is a $3.4 billion advanced weapon and space systems company employing approximately 15,000 people in 22 states.
Rocketplane Kistler brings together two industry-leading makers and future operators of the next-generation orbital and suborbital space transportation vehicles. RpK was formed when Kistler Aerospace Corporation and Rocketplane Limited, Inc. were brought under common ownership. RpK markets the services of the fully reusable, two-stage Kistler K-1 space transportation system and the fully reusable, suborbital Rocketplane XP space plane, both of which will be first to fly in their respective markets.
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Rocketplane Kistler and ATK Announce Agreement for K-1 Launch Vehicle and COTS Program
