Jane Edwards
Orbital ATK and Stratolaunch Systems, a subsidiary of Vulcan Aerospace, have formed a partnership in an effort to provide commercial launch customers access to low-Earth orbit through air-launch space services.
Orbital ATK will initially supply several Pegasus XL rockets for integration with Stratolaunch“™s aircraft as part of the partnership, the companies said Thursday.
The Stratolaunch plane will work to facilitate air launches of the Pegasus rocket designed to carry 1,000-pound satellite payloads into low-Earth orbit.
The Orbital ATK-built Pegasus launch vehicle has performed 42 missions in order to transport over 80 satellites into space.
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen established Stratolaunch Systems with Scaled Composites founder Burt Rutan in December 2011.
