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Delta III Rocket Launched Successfully With ATK Solid Propulsion Motors

Aug 23, 2000

ATK (Alliant Techsystems) (NYSE: ATK) said nine of its solid propulsion rocket motors today helped successfully launch a Boeing Delta III rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

Jeff Foote, president, ATK Aerospace Propulsion Company, said the 46-inch diameter strap-on solid propulsion motors for the Delta III were evolved from the Boeing Delta II rocket's 40-inch diameter Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEM-40), which have flown on 73 successful Delta II missions since ATK began manufacturing the GEM-40 in 1989.

"The Delta II rocket has set the standard throughout the world for launch reliability," said Foote. "One important reason for this success is the quality and the demonstrated repeatability of ATK's GEM boosters, which are built under strict and uncompromising statistical process control guidelines -- the same guidelines under which the Delta III boosters are manufactured."

The Boeing Delta III was designed to address the growing size of commercial satellites. It can carry 8,400 pounds (3,800 kg) to geosynchronous transfer orbit -- twice the capacity of the Delta II vehicle.

ATK Aerospace Propulsion Company is part of ATK's Aerospace group, which comprises the company's space and strategic propulsion and Utah- and Mississippi-based composite structures operations. The group employs approximately 1,650 people in California, Florida, Mississippi, and Utah. Sales in fiscal year 2000 were $436 million. The solid rocket motors for the Boeing Delta III launch vehicle are manufactured at the group's Utah Propulsion Center in Magna, Utah, and Utah Composites Center in Clearfield, Utah.

ATK is a $1.1 billion aerospace and defense company with leading market positions in munitions, smart weapons and precision capabilities, propulsion, and composite structures. The company, which is headquartered in Hopkins, Minn., employs approximately 6,400 people and has three business segments: Conventional Munitions, Aerospace, and Defense Systems. ATK news and information can be found on the Internet at http://www.atk.com/

SOURCE: ATK

Contact: Media, Rod Bitz, 612-931-5413, rod_bitz@atk.com, or Investors,
Melanie E.R. Miller, 612-931-6921, melanie_miller@atk.com, both of ATK