ATK Propulsion and Composite Technologies Support Launch of Two NASA Satellites Aboard Delta II Rocket

ATK (Alliant Techsystems) solid propulsion and composite
technologies supported the launch yesterday of a Boeing Delta II 7320-10
rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. that successfully placed into
orbit two NASA scientific satellites.

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

ATK Composites, Clearfield, Utah, produced the graphite epoxy cases for
the GEM 40 boosters. The cases are manufactured using an automated filament
winding process developed and refined over a 40-year heritage of composite
structures manufacturing. ATK Composites supports space launches by a variety
of vehicles, including Delta, Titan IV B, Pegasus®, and Taurus®.

The NASA Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) launched by the
Delta II rocket will use a laser instrument to provide elevation data needed
to determine ice-sheet mass balance. It will also collect surface and
vegetation data from around the globe. The second satellite — the Cosmic Hot
Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer Satellite (CHIPSat) — will study very hot,
very low-density gas in the vast spaces between the stars, known as the
Interstellar Medium, to look for clues about the formation and evolution of
galaxies.

ATK Thiokol Propulsion is the world’s leading supplier of solid-propellant
rocket motors. Products manufactured by the company include propulsion
systems for the Delta, Pegasus®, Taurus®, Athena, Atlas, H-IIA, and Titan
IV B expendable space launch vehicles, NASA’s Space Shuttle, the Trident II
Fleet Ballistic and the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, and
ground-based missile defense interceptors.

ATK Composites is the largest producer of filament-wound and fiber-placed
composite structures in the U.S. The company produces structures for space
launch vehicles, satellites, spacecraft, and commercial and military aircraft,
including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F/A-22 Raptor, and the Global Hawk
unmanned aerial reconnaissance system.

ATK is a $2.1 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
12,000 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 .