MINNEAPOLIS, 24 May 2009. Alliant Techsystems' Responsive Space Modular Bus (RSMB) was launched as part of the Department of Defense's Tactical Satellite-3 mission from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va. TacSat-3's 12-month mission will demonstrate capability to conduct hyperspectral imaging that is responsive to the needs of U.S. warfighters.

The ATK-designed and -built spacecraft bus meets the TacSat program's goals of being operationally responsive, low-cost, and high-performance, says a company representative. ATK hardware includes the on-board command and data handling system, solar arrays, primary structure, and interfaces to the launch vehicle and payload.

ATK's hexapetal bus design enables rapid integration and modular packaging of both bus and payload components, an enabling capability for future Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) missions that must meet a seven-day call-up requirement.

"ATK's Responsive Space Modular Bus was utilized for TacSat-3 in order to provide a highly capable spacecraft that was versatile enough to support this specific mission, while flexible enough to support a broad range of future ORS missions," says Blake Larson, president, ATK Space Systems. "ATK completed the critical design review within four months of program start, integrated the bus structure within 11 months, and delivered the bus to the customer in just over 15 months."

"ATK played an integral role in this launch, from the solid rocket motors of the launch to the launch vehicle fairing and finally the spacecraft bus," continues Larson.