- Business
- Orbital ATK Inc. (NYSE:OA) operates as an independent aerospace and defense manufacturer following its formation in 2015 from the merger of Orbital Sciences Corporation, founded in 1982, and Alliant Techsystems' aerospace and defense units; the company is headquartered in Dulles, Virginia. It designs, builds, and delivers a broad portfolio of products and services including launch vehicles such as Antares, Minotaur series, Pegasus, and the planned OmegA; solid rocket engines and boosters like GEM-40/60/63 series, Castor family, and Space Launch System boosters; satellites and spacecraft encompassing Cygnus cargo resupply vehicles for the International Space Station, communications satellites such as Al Yah 3 and HYLAS-4, and science missions including TESS, ICESat-2, and JPSS-2; tactical missiles, precision-guided munitions, ammunition, autocannons, firearms like the XM25 CDTE, and defense electronics including missile approach warning systems; as well as aerostructures, propulsion systems, and technical services for government, military, commercial, and scientific customers primarily in the United States with global operations. In a major strategic development, Northrop Grumman announced its $9.2 billion acquisition of Orbital ATK in September 2017, which closed on June 6, 2018, leading to the rebranding as Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems—a new business sector—before a 2020 reorganization integrated most operations into Northrop Grumman's Space Systems sector headquartered in McLean, Virginia; the company continues active trading under ticker OA with recent quarterly earnings reflecting EPS of $1.75 and revenue growth, alongside ongoing contributions to missile defense, space exploration, and aviation programs.