edkyle99 - 19/7/2007 9:18 AMMore cash, even though the company only performed two orbital space launches. It seems, oddly enough, that the fewer space launches Orbital performs, the more revenue it generates. One reason is that the profits in its launch business are coming from suborbital missile defense targets. It seems that "suborbital" is where the money is. Is Elon paying attention?Maybe Orbital Sciences Corporation should change its name to "Suborbital Sciences Corporation." - Ed Kyle
vt_hokie - 19/7/2007 2:38 PMHmm, maybe I should shoot my resume over to them! Actually, I'm starting the grad school application process, hoping to escape the real world for a couple of years, but that would be a cool company to work for!
Jim - 19/7/2007 2:45 PMYou would be working on weapon systems, gasp!
Andy L - 20/7/2007 3:14 PMAre these companies making lots of money because of the war, rather than space, like ATK, Lockheed Martin etc.
edkyle99 - 20/7/2007 4:09 PMThe missile defense program accounts for much of it. The missile defense budget is something like $10+ billion per year right now, and is projected to hit $14 billion in a few years. That is more than NASA's spaceflight budget. - Ed Kyle
edkyle99 - 20/7/2007 5:09 PMThe missile defense budget is something like $10+ billion per year right now, and is projected to hit $14 billion in a few years. That is more than NASA's spaceflight budget.
vt_hokie - 21/7/2007 1:14 PMQuoteedkyle99 - 20/7/2007 5:09 PMThe missile defense budget is something like $10+ billion per year right now, and is projected to hit $14 billion in a few years. That is more than NASA's spaceflight budget.Wow, I didn't realize that! Kind of puts things in perspective...Personally, I don't see how a missile defense system is more important than safeguarding our ports and securing our borders. The Cold War relics continue to draw insane funding while we have to worry about lunatics blowing themselves up on subways, attacking us in our own home towns, etc.
yinzer - 20/8/2007 7:27 PMIsn't Orbital's NMD booster pretty much a Pegasus XL without wings?
spacey9 - 20/8/2007 3:06 PMIf a 'space' company can build a rocket, they can build a missile. It is good to be able to be in the defense business these days and then transition to a more space pure-play company as the private/commercial space business really takes off in the next few years. Startup as a defense company, transition to a space company.Ken Schweitzerhttp://www.PlanetSpace.com
aero313 - 20/8/2007 5:06 PMQuoteyinzer - 20/8/2007 7:27 PMIsn't Orbital's NMD booster pretty much a Pegasus XL without wings?Nope. The rocket motors are similar, but propulsion only makes up a small piece of the total system. Different environments, different aeroheating, silo launch, TVC first stage, hot fire second stage with blow out ports in the interstage, different avionics, different fairing, different I&T flow...Need I go on?
spacey9 - 20/8/2007 4:06 PMIt is good to be able to be in the defense business these days and then transition to a more space pure-play company as the private/commercial space business really takes off in the next few years. Startup as a defense company, transition to a space company.