ATK makes first delivery for GPS III satellites

HANCOCK COUNTY — ATK has delivered the first two A2100 composite satellite structures and the first ship set of propellant tanks for the GPS III satellites Lockheed Martin is building for the U.S. Air Force.

This is the first major hardware delivery milestone in the program, which has been underway since ATK was awarded the contract from Lockheed Martin in April 2010.

The contract includes the fabrication of a non-flight satellite testbed structure and the first two GPS III satellite structures. The testbed structure was delivered May 9 and the first space vehicle structure was delivered Aug. 4. The first ship set of tanks was also delivered in early August.

Each ship set includes one hydrazine, two oxidizer and two pressurant tanks. The contract includes options for the same hardware for up to 10 additional satellites.

The GPS III structure, made from lightweight, high-strength composite materials and the propellant tanks were delivered to Lockheed Martin’s Mississippi Space & Technology Center, an advanced propulsion, thermal, and metrology facility located at the John C. Stennis Space Center, for integration and testing.

ATK has been manufacturing A2100 structures and propellant tanks for Lockheed Martin since the satellite model was introduced in 1996 for the company’s commercial satellite customers.