Comments on: ATK is splitting off its aerospace division to merge that division with Orbital Sciences.

By: Kelly Starks

Kelly Starks — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:15:32 +0000

Murger of equals?
Most former defense contractors (or aerospace companies) have gotten out of the business’ since the profit margins are low and droping as the market declines. It could be shedding that will mean the outdoor sports and hunting products parts will make ATK a much more appealing buy for stockholders.

But Orbital as a Equal? They aren’t that big last I remember?

By: Pzatchok

Pzatchok — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 14:03:57 +0000

ATK or Alliant Tech Systems is one of the last gunpowder manufactures in the US all the other either buy in bulk off of them or import it.

The fact is Alliant doesn’t have to actually build the SRB’s. They are the only domestic source for the propellent so they will make a profit no matter who builds what as long as the government demands that contractors try to buy domestic.

With an ever increasing amount of launch companies a few of them will inevitably want to use solids for that extra boost. Someone will take over manufacturing.

By: Tom Billings

Tom Billings — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:45:40 +0000

While geoffc is correct about ammo having more revenue today, ATK may also be the first old-line NASA Contractors Club business to realize they cannot build the reusable rockets that SpaceX is demonstrating are indeed possible. ATK doesn’t have the corporate culture to do it, and they know it. Not too odd, given their total emphasis on solids.

Even in the solids business, the AF will shut down one whole set of protestors against their first clean-sheet post-Cold War ICBM if they pick a propellant like ALICE (Aluminum/Ice). Having a horde of people screaming that producing a rocket meant poisoning whole valleys in Utah the last time (ammonium perchlorate production) will do nothing to move through Congress a program they know will meet stiff resistance anyway. Perhaps ATK has been given “the word” on this as well.

By: geoffc

geoffc — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 19:30:45 +0000

Beyond the SRB’s, who else uses ATK solids? Minotaur, Pegasus, antares all use Castor and other solid engines from ATK. And 2 SRB’s every 4 years is not a recipe for a business model.

Not sure if they still make booster for ICBM’s or not, but beyond those two customers, who buys a solid from ATK these days?