spacetoday.net: Orbital wins contract to refurbish missiles into launch vehicles

Posted: Thu, Jan 30, 2003, 2:10 PM ET (1910 GMT)
The Defense Department awarded Orbital Sciences Corporation a contract Wednesday worth up to $237.9 million for converting retired missiles into orbital and suborbital launch vehicles. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract allows the US Air Force to order "orbital and suborbital launch systems and launch vehicle services" using "excess ballistic missile assets." The contract sets only an upper limit on the value of the boosters the Air Force can order from Orbital, and does not guarantee any minimum level. While not specifically identified in the contract award, the contract likely covers the Orbital Suborbital Program Space Launch Vehicle, also known as the Minotaur, which consists of the lower two stages of Minuteman ICBMs and the upper two stages of Orbital's Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The Air Force recently awarded Orbital contracts for three Minotaur launches through the next several years.