Orbital Sciences [NYSE: ORB] has received orders from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has ordered four launch vehicles – two Pegasus and two Taurus rockets – for U.S. government scientific satellite missions scheduled to be launched over a two-year period beginning in 2006. The orders were placed under the small expendable launch vehicles services contract that was awarded to Orbital by NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in 1998.

The two new Pegasus vehicles will be used to launch the satellites designated for NASA’s Space Technology-8 (ST-8) and Small Explorer-10 (SMEX-10) missions. The two Taurus missions are scheduled to launch NASA satellites that Orbital is currently developing and manufacturing at its Dulles, Va., facility. The first of the two new Taurus rockets will launch the GLORY satellite for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. The second Taurus rocket will launch the Orbiting Carbon Observer satellite for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

For more information on government use of satellite technology, see the inaugural issue of SATELLITE NEWS’ Government Procurement Report available through SATELLITE TODAY in November. For more info about subscribing to the new publication and the SATELLITE TODAY Web site, contact Cliff Johnson at 301-354-1833; email [email protected].