[Satellite Today 03-24-09] Alliant Techsystems (ATK) signed a $257 million contract with United Space Alliance to perform subcontractor support to ATK for the NASA‘s Ares 1 and Ares 1-X programs through the design, development, test and engineering phase, ATK announced March 18.
    Under the terms of the contract, United Space Alliance also will provide engineering, deceleration system development and technical operations support for Ares stage I activities.
    ATK is the prime contractor for Ares 1 first stage, supporting NASA with overall requirements maturation, system integration and establishment of interfaces within subsystems. Ares 1 is slated to replace NASA’s Space Shuttle when it retires in 2010.