Orbital Sciences Corporation

Orbital Sciences Corporation

Company type	Public
Traded as	NYSE: ORB
Industry	Space industry Aerospace industry Defense industry
Founded	1982; 42 years ago (1982) Vienna, Virginia, U.S.
Founders	David W. Thompson Bruce W. Ferguson Scott L. Webster
Defunct	9 February 2015
Fate	Merged with Alliant Techsystems
Successor	Orbital ATK
Headquarters	Dulles, Virginia , U.S.
Area served	Global
Key people	David W. Thompson, Chairman, President and CEO Garrett E. Pierce, Vice Chairman and CFO Antonio L. Elias, Executive Vice President and CTO
Products	Space Launch Vehicles, Missile Defense Systems, Satellites and Related Systems, Advanced Space Systems, Space Technical Services
Revenue	US$1.37 billion (FY 2013)[1]
Operating income	US$113.55 million (FY 2013)[1]
Net income	US$68.37 million (FY 2013)[1]
Total assets	US$1.28 billion (FY 2013)[1]
Total equity	US$795.3 million (FY 2013)[1]
Number of employees	3,300+ (February 2014)[1]
Divisions	Launch Systems Group Space Systems Group Advanced Programs Group Technical Services Division
Website	www.orbital.com

Orbital Sciences Corporation (commonly referred to as Orbital) was an American company specializing in the design, manufacture, and launch of small- and medium- class space and launch vehicle systems for commercial, military and other government customers. In 2014, Orbital merged with Alliant Techsystems to create a new company called Orbital ATK, Inc., which in turn was purchased by Northrop Grumman in 2018. The remnants of the former Orbital Sciences Corporation became a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman,^[2] known as Northrop Grumman Space Systems.

Orbital was headquartered in Dulles, Virginia and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol ORB. Orbital's primary products were satellites and launch vehicles, including low Earth orbit (LEO), geosynchronous Earth orbit and planetary spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense missions; ground- and air-launched launch vehicles that delivered satellites into orbit; missile defense systems that were used as interceptor and target vehicles; and human-rated space systems for Earth orbit, lunar and other missions. Orbital also provided satellite subsystems and space-related technical services to government agencies and laboratories.^[3]

On 29 April 2014, Orbital Sciences announced that it would merge with Alliant Techsystems to create a new company called Orbital ATK, Inc.^[4] The merger was completed on 9 February 2015 and Orbital Sciences ceased to exist as an independent entity.^[5]

On 18 September 2017, Northrop Grumman announced plans to purchase Orbital ATK for US$7.8 billion in cash plus assumption of US$1.4 billion in debt,^[6][7] and on 6 June 2018, the acquisition was completed, and Orbital ATK became Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.^[8][9] As of 1 January 2020, the name was changed to Space Systems under a large restructuring and rebranding initiative.