[Satellite TODAY 04-06-10] Orbital Sciences Corp. completed its acquisition of General Dynamics/Spectrum Astro, a spacecraft development and manufacturing business from General Dynamics, Orbital Sciences announced April 2.
    Orbital will absorb about 325 new employees, mostly engineers, technicians and program managers with security clearances for U.S. government programs. Orbital has also acquired a 135,000-square-foot space systems manufacturing, integration and test facility.
    “By combining Orbital’s experience building industry-leading, small, low-orbit and geosynchronous satellites with General Dynamics/Spectrum Astro’s work on advanced, medium-class spacecraft, our company has now produced, or is currently developing, 148 satellites for over 35 separate customers in the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence community, civil government agencies such as NASA and [the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration], and commercial communications and imaging satellite operators," Orbital Chairman and CEO David Thompson said in a statement.
    Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

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