Orbital Sciences Corporation

Orbital Sciences Corporation
Company typePublic
NYSE: ORB
IndustrySpace, Defense
Founded1982 (1982) in Vienna, Virginia
FoundersDavid W. Thompson
Bruce W. Ferguson
Scott L. Webster
Defunct9 February 2015
FateMerged with Alliant Techsystems to form Orbital ATK
Headquarters,
United States
Key people
David W. Thompson (Chairman, President and CEO)
RevenueDecrease US$1,365 million (2013)
Increase US$113 million (2013)
Increase US$68 million (2013)
Total assetsIncrease US$1,284 million (2013)
Total equityIncrease US$795 million (2013)
Number of employees
3,300 (2013)
Websiteorbital.com
Footnotes / references
Financials as of December 31, 2013 (final fiscal year end)
References:[1]

Orbital Sciences Corporation (commonly referred to as Orbital) was an American company specializing in the design, manufacture, and launch of small- and medium- class space and launch vehicle systems for commercial, military and other government customers. In 2014, Orbital merged with Alliant Techsystems (ATK) to create a new company called Orbital ATK, which in turn was purchased by Northrop Grumman in 2018.

Orbital was headquartered in Dulles, Virginia and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol ORB. Orbital's primary products were satellites and launch vehicles, including low Earth orbit (LEO), geosynchronous Earth orbit and planetary spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense missions; ground- and air-launched launch vehicles that delivered satellites into orbit; missile defense systems that were used as interceptor and target vehicles; and human-rated space systems for Earth orbit, lunar and other missions. Orbital also provided satellite subsystems and space-related technical services to government agencies and laboratories.[2]

On 29 April 2014, Orbital Sciences announced that it would merge with Alliant Techsystems to create a new company called Orbital ATK.[3] The merger was completed on 9 February 2015 and Orbital Sciences ceased to exist as an independent entity.[4]

On 18 September 2017, Northrop Grumman announced plans to purchase Orbital ATK for US$7.8 billion in cash plus assumption of US$1.4 billion in debt,[5][6] and on 6 June 2018, the acquisition was completed, and Orbital ATK became Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.[7][8] As of 1 January 2020, the name was changed to Space Systems under a large restructuring and rebranding initiative.

  1. ^ "Annual report Form 10-K 2017 Orbital Sciences Corporation". 24 February 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  2. ^ "About Orbital Sciences Corporation". June 2014.
  3. ^ "Orbital-ATK merger News Release". Orbital. June 2014.
  4. ^ "Orbital ATK Press Release". 10 February 2015. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Northrop Grumman to Acquire Orbital ATK for US$9.2 Billion" (PDF) (Press release). Falls Church and Dulles, Virginia: Northrop Grumman Corporation. 18 September 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Orbital ATK Shareholders Vote to Approve Acquisition by Northrop Grumman" (Press release). Northrop Grumman. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  7. ^ "FTC Imposes Conditions on Northrop Grumman's Acquisition of Solid Rocket Motor Supplier Orbital ATK, Inc" (Press release). Federal Trade Commission. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ^ Erwin, Sandra (5 June 2018). "Acquisition of Orbital ATK approved, company renamed Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems". SpaceNews. Retrieved 23 July 2018.