[Satellite TODAY 03-26-10] Lockheed Martin and Alliant Techsystems (ATK) have entered into a strategic partnership agreement to offer launch services for small payloads utilizing upgraded and modernized Athena 1c and Athena 2c rockets, the companies announced March 25.
    The new rockets will be available for launches beginning in 2012, with a payload capability that will support NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense and other markets. The two-stage Athena 1c and three-stage Athena 2c launch vehicles will incorporate the ATK Castor 30 upper stage motor and upgrades to electronic systems.
    Lockheed Martin will provide mission management, payload integration and launch operations, and ATK will provide integrated vehicle propulsion, launch vehicle structures, booster integration and launch site operations.

Related Stories-

A New Path to the Moon   Via Satellite   April 1, 2010
In December, we discussed the final report of the White House Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee, otherwise known as the Augustine Committee. The report found NASA s current human spaceflight program to be on an unsustainable…

Bankruptcy Court Approves Second Sea Launch Financing   Satellite Today   March 22, 2010
[Satellite TODAY 03-22-10] Sea Launch has received approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware to secure an additional $12 million loan from Space Launch Services (SLS), Sea Launch announced March. 18.

Launch Providers See Overcapacity    Satellite News   March 18, 2010
[Satellite News 03-18-10] Launch service providers said there are plenty of launch services in the market, despite FSS operator concerns about the lack of competition in this arena expressed in the opening panel of SATELLITE 2010.