[Satellite TODAY 03-08-10] Orbital Sciences Corp. has reached an agreement to acquire the spacecraft development and manufacturing business of General Dynamics subsidiary GD Advanced Information Systems, Orbital Sciences announced March 4.
   Advanced Information Systems, located in Gilbert, Ariz., develops small- and medium-class satellites for the U.S. Air Force, NASA, U.S. Navy, Missile Defense Agency and other government and commercial customers. The acquisition is expected to enhance Orbital Sciences’ position in the national security space systems market, including spacecraft used in intelligence and surveillance, missile tracking, space situational awareness, and other operational defense missions.
   "There is a compelling strategic fit between Orbital’s current satellite business and the General Dynamics spacecraft unit in terms of the markets and customers we serve, the types of satellite platforms we design and build, and the highly skilled and experienced engineering, manufacturing and operations professionals we count on to make this possible," David Thompson, Orbital’s chairmand and CEO, said in a statement.
   When the acquisition in completed, which is expected to take about four weeks, 325 General Dyanamics’ employees will joint Orbital Sciences. As part of the transaction, Orbital also will 135,000 square foot space systems manufacturing, integration and test facility.