Rocket designers from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) LLC in Littleton, Colo., needed complex wiring harnesses for the Atlas V single-use rocket, which is designed to launch satellites into orbit. They found their solution from LaBarge Inc. in St. Louis.

ULA awarded LaBarge a $4.9 million contract to continue to produce wiring harness technology for the Atlas V expendable launch vehicle. ULA is a joint venture of The Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. that builds rockets for launching satellites. The Atlas V uses a Russian RD-180 engine in its first stage, and an American RL10 engine in its upper stage. Some use Aerojet strap-on boosters.

LaBarge will do the work in Berryville, Ark., and should be finished by late 2013. LaBarge has made wiring harnesses and select hardware assemblies for the Atlas family of launch vehicles for the past 17 years. Last February marked the 20th Atlas V launch since the program began in 2002, and the 80th consecutive launch in the Atlas family supported by LaBarge.

ULA's Atlas V, Delta IV, and Delta II provide launch services for the U.S. Air Force, NASA, and National Reconnaissance Office. For more information, visit LaBarge online at www.labarge.com, or the United Launch Alliance at www.ulalaunch.com.

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