AASC to Manufacture Launch Abort System Composite Structures
06/06/2007
Applied Aerospace Structures Corporation (AASC) has been awarded a contract by Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles, Virginia to manufacture the Project Orion Launch Abort System composite structures.
The initial contract is for 10 shipsets with options for additional quantities. The Launch Abort System (LAS) is a five-year development program consisting of several test flights, and will ultimately result in crewed flights into orbit around 2012-2014. There will be several operational missions to follow.
NASA is developing Orion to transport a crew of six to and from the International Space Station and a crew of four to and from the Moon in support of the Vision for Space Exploration. The Orion system is composed of an Apollo-style crew module, a service module, and the LAS module.
Orbital Sciences Corporation has teamed with Lockheed Martin and will serve as the developer of the LAS. Orbital will design, test and deploy the new system using their established small rocket technology. The new LAS will allow safe escape for space crew if an emergency should arise during launch. Overall safety and reliability tests will be performed as well.
Applied Aerospace Structures Corporation (AASC) is a full service provider of complex composite and metal bonded structures and assemblies for both military and commercial applications. Based in Stockton, California, AASC is classified as a small business with approximately 250 employees, designs and fabricates critical, lightweight, high-performance, engineered structural assemblies for the aerospace industry. The company is ISO 9001:2000 and AS9100, third party certified and has been in business since 1956. For more information, visit the company's web site at