ATK Awarded Contract for Ares I Upper Stage Ullage Motor

Motors Assist Stage Separation and Second Stage Engine Safe Start-Up

(Huntsville, Ala., July 1, 2009) -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) was selected by The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) to manufacture the upper stage ullage motors for the new Ares I launch vehicle. The Ares I is NASA's two-stage rocket that will launch astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on missions to the International Space Station, the moon, Mars and out into the solar system.


The ullage motor, almost four feet in length, is similar to the Space Shuttle booster separation motor which ATK also manufacturers. Eight ullage motors will be arranged in four pairs on the Ares I upper stage, which also houses the reaction control system.

The motors provide acceleration of the upper stage during stage separation from Ares I first stage. This acceleration process not only settles the liquid fuel and oxidizer in the upper stage tanks which provides continuous liquid flow to the J2X main engines, but also assists in the separation of the two stages. Each motor burns for approximately four seconds and provides a combined thrust of 40,000 pounds.

"We are pleased Boeing selected ATK to provide this critical piece of hardware for the upper stage," said Mike Rudolphi, ATK vice president of Site Operations and Integration. "We look forward to working with the team and sharing our expertise in motor design and testing to produce safe and reliable motors for the Ares Program."

Under the contract, ATK will provide motors for Design, Development, Test and Evaluation phase, and the initial flights.

Source : Alliant Tech Systems, Inc (ATK) (NYSE: ATK)