SatNews

Satellite Industry Intelligence Since 1983

ATK—A Governor For A Day (Business)


Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley visits ATK Space Systems Division in Beltsville with GM and VP Tom Wilson, photo courtesy of ATK.
[SatNews] ATK (NYSE: ATK) hosted Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley at ATK in Beltsville, Maryland, for a tour of the facility. During the tour, Gov. O’Malley heard about growth in products and services at the Beltsville facility that augment Maryland’s prominence in the aerospace industry.

ATK Space Systems Division (SSD), a division of ATK Aerospace Group, provides a broad portfolio of products and services in Beltsville that include integrated small satellite systems, world-class multidisciplinary engineering services and market-leading integrated thermal control technology. ATK’s integrated thermal control systems are used by several U.S. government and commercial satellites. ATK SSD has also created a game-changing new commercial space market—on-orbit satellite servicing—which promotes robotic servicing technology to extend the lives of satellites and provide satellite owners with more value for their investments. Overall, the increased business demand for SSD products resulted in 72 new jobs filled in the past six months with hiring now underway for 62 additional positions.

During his visit, Gov. O’Malley toured ATK’s Integrated Thermal Systems (ITS) plant and the Robotic Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) Lab. The ITS manufacturing facility annually produces more than 4,000 heat dissipation pipes and satellite panel structures along with other thermal control hardware for domestic and international space programs. In addition, SSD’s own satellites are operating in orbit 24/7 for the U.S. Air Force and NASA.


Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and his team view a robotics demonstration in the ATK Robotics Lab, photo courtesy of ATK.
The ATK RPO lab demonstrates satellite life extension technology with robotic and air-bearing testbeds, simulated satellite RPO and docking maneuvers. The facility also supports ATK’s recently introduced commercial satellite life extension joint venture, ViviSat. ATK has a long history of success in satellite servicing, spanning both military and civil sectors that include the NASA Hubble Space Telescope repair missions and the ongoing NASA Robotic Refueling Mission at the International Space Station. ATK is also building the satellite bus and tools for the DARPA Phoenix mission. The mission will develop technologies to harvest and reuse valuable components from retired, nonworking satellites in geosynchronous orbit.

ATK employs more than 450 employees at its Beltsville site. ATK’s corporate headquarters are in Arlington, Virginia. The company also has site locations in Baltimore and Elkton, Md., and the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory located near the Maryland border in Rocket Center, W. Virginia.