NASA gave Orbital Sciences Corp. [ORB] a contract to provide both the satellite and launch vehicle for a space science mission.
NASA recently chose the Orbital Pegasus XL rocket to launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) space science satellite in 2011.
NASA in 2007 chose Orbitalto design, manufacture and test the NuSTAR satellite, which is now in production at the company’s Dulles, Va., satellite design, manufacturing and testing facilities.
The launch will originate from Kwajalein Island near the equator in the mid-Pacific Ocean area in order to achieve a six degree inclination orbit.