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ORBITAL WINS $13 MILLION IN CONTRACTS TO PROVIDE AIR MONITORS FOR THE BRITISH AND U.S. NAVY SUBMARINE FLEETS

Company's Space Technology to be Used in Another "Harsh Environment" Application on Earth

(Dulles, VA 14 March 2000) -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today it has been awarded $13 million in contracts primarily to provide atmosphere monitoring equipment for the British Navy's fleet of submarines. Orbital also received an order from the U.S. Navy for several of the air monitoring systems. The company's Sensor Systems division, located in Pomona, California, will provide its Central Atmosphere Monitoring System Mk II (CAMS Mk II) for the retrofit of the British Navy's existing submarines, as well as for those submarines scheduled to be constructed in the future. In addition, the U.S. Navy, through Newport News Shipbuilding, took advantage of the timing of the British Navy order to procure four CAMS Mk II systems for its new Virginia-class submarines. The combined value of these three contracts is over $13 million.

The contract from the British Navy for the retrofit program calls for delivery of 15 CAMS Mk II systems under a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) arrangement. The contract for the British submarines to be built in the future was placed directly by BAE SYSTEMS and calls for three additional units.

The CAMS Mk II system is based on Orbital's proprietary mass spectrometer technology, developed originally for space applications. It is currently installed on Trident- and Seawolf-class submarines in the U.S. Navy and is being installed on all newly constructed U.S. submarines. Its predecessor, the Orbital-built CAMS Mk I, is still in service aboard the U.S. Navy's existing submarine fleet, and continues its excellent reputation for accuracy and reliability.

"We are very pleased that we have qualified the CAMS Mk II system for use in the British Navy submarine fleet after a rigorous evaluation process," said Mr. Gary R. Stewart, Orbital's business development director for the CAMS program. "Based on the track record for dependability established by the CAMS Mk I, the predecessor system, the U.S. Navy fully supported this process and believes the use of the CAMS Mk II by the British Navy will substantially benefit one of our closest allies," he added.

Orbital's Sensor Systems division develops and produces a wide range of sophisticated and ruggedized analytical instruments for application in space environments, field service and industrial process applications. Among its high-profile projects, the Sensor Systems division developed the primary instrument that will monitor the atmosphere aboard the International Space Station. Its line of mass spectrometers is also widely used by the petrochemical, pharmaceutical and steel industries. Orbital's Sensor Systems division is certified to ISO 9001, an internationally recognized standard for quality engineering and manufacturing processes.

Orbital is one of the largest space technology and satellite services companies in the world, with 1999 revenues of about $900 million. The company, which is headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, employees over 5,200 people at its major facilities in the United States, Canada and several overseas locations. Orbital is the world's leading manufacturer of low-cost space systems and products including satellites, launch vehicles, electronics and sensors, satellite ground systems and software, and satellite-based navigation and communications products. Through its ORBCOMM and ORBIMAGE affiliates and ORBNAV subsidiary, Orbital is also a pioneering operator of satellite-based networks that provide data communications, high-resolution imagery and automotive information services to customers around the world.

Contact: Barron Beneski, 7034065000, beneski.barron@orbital.com