Orbital ATK to Build Launch Abort Motor for Lockheed’s Orion Capsule; Fred Brasfield Comments

Orbital ATK will produce the launch abort motor for the Orion spaceflight capsule’s launch abort system under a $98 million subcontract from Lockheed Martin.

The company will design, develop and test the launch abort motor at three facilities in Utah, Orbital ATK said Tuesday.

“The benefit of using a solid launch abort motor is being able to transport the crew far from harm’s way in milliseconds, should the need arise,” said Fred Brasfield, vice president of Orbital ATK’s NASA propulsion programs.

The launch abort motor will work to remove the capsule and crew from the rocket in case of an emergency.

The agreement between Orbital ATK and Lockheed is meant to finance the launch abort motor through the second launch of Orion on SLS.