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MAGNA — ATK announced Monday that the company was awarded a $57 million contract to provide the CASTOR 30XL — an upgraded second stage motor for Orbital Science Corporation’s Taurus II commercial launch vehicle — which will supply cargo for NASA to the International Space Station.
Based in Eden Prairie, Minn., ATK is an aerospace, defense, and commercial products company with operations in 23 states — including Utah as well as internationally.
The CASTOR 30XL is a larger and higher-performance solid rocket motor, with greater payload capability than the CASTOR 30A — which is used on the current configuration of the Taurus II.
The first two test flights of the Taurus II will employ the original CASTOR 30A configuration, while the subsequent two flights will use a higher-performing CASTOR 30B motor. The CASTOR 30XL will be used after the initial four flights.
Orbital’s Taurus II medium-class launch vehicle is slated to perform commercial cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station.
