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ATK Propulsion and Composite Technologies Support Launch of NASA Spacecraft to Study Comets

Jul 8, 2002

Minneapolis, July 8, 2002 – ATK (Alliant Techsystems, NYSE: ATK) solid propulsion and composite structure technologies supported the launch on July 3 of a Boeing Delta II 7425 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. that successfully launched the NASA Comet Nucleus Tour (CONTOUR) spacecraft, which will study the behavior and evolution of comets.

Four GEM 40 solid propulsion strap-on boosters manufactured by ATK Thiokol Propulsion, Promontory, Utah, at its facility in Magna, Utah, provided the initial thrust for the Boeing Delta II rocket – continuing a tradition of flight support for Delta II missions that began in 1990.

The graphite epoxy cases for the GEM 40 boosters are manufactured by ATK Composite Structures, Clearfield, Utah. The cases, which are fabricated using a process first introduced by the company in 1958 and modernized and automated over the years, support space launches by a variety of vehicles, including Delta, Titan IV, Pegasus(R), and Taurus(R).

Following burnout and separation of the GEM 40 boosters and the rocket’s liquid second stage, a STAR(TM) 48B third-stage rocket motor produced by ATK Tactical Systems – Elkton Operations, Elkton, Md., ignited to provide the impulse to deliver the CONTOUR spacecraft into its required trajectory. The CONTOUR spacecraft includes an ATK Tactical Systems STAR 30BP motor, which will be fired approximately 45 days after launch to provide the final velocity increment needed to propel the spacecraft towards comet Encke.

ATK’s STAR motor family has a 40-year heritage of success ranging from the first human-rated solid propulsion systems used on the Mercury and Gemini programs, to more recent integrated upper stages used on planetary and space exploration missions, including the Lunar Prospector.

The CONTOUR spacecraft will provide the first detailed look into the heart of a comet – the nucleus. The spacecraft will fly as close as 60 miles to at least two comets, taking the sharpest pictures yet of the nucleus while analyzing the gas and dust that surround comets. CONTOUR’s targets include the comets Encke in November 2003 and Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 in June 2006.

ATK Thiokol Propulsion is the world’s leading supplier of solid-propellant rocket motors. In addition to the GEM-40 booster, the company manufactures the GEM-46 booster flown on the Boeing Delta III rocket. Later this year, the GEM-60 booster will fly for the first time on the new Boeing Delta IV rocket.

Patented manufacturing techniques together with strict and uncompromising attention to process control, schedule, and affordability have made ATK Composite Structures one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-performance composite structures. The company produces structures for military and commercial aircraft, space launch vehicles, satellites, and spacecraft.

ATK is a $2 billion aerospace and defense company with leading positions in propulsion, composite structures, munitions, and precision capabilities. The company, which is headquartered in Edina, Minn., employs approximately 11,300 people and has three business groups: Aerospace, Precision Systems, and Ammunition. ATK news and information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com.