"This is the kind of merger, often sought, but rarely found." - Dave Thompson.
Will there be push back from ATK product buyers ULA (Delta 4 solids and EELV composites) and Lockheed Martin (Athena?), not to mention the big shift in the defense business?
Quote from: Chris Bergin on 04/29/2014 01:23 pm"This is the kind of merger, often sought, but rarely found." - Dave Thompson.ATK is the majority partner, but Dave Thompson seems to be doing most of the talking. The HQ would move to Orbital's site in Virginia. Would Mr. Thompson become the new CEO?Is this Orbital's response to SpaceX - a shift to a more vertically integrated company?Will there be push back from ATK product buyers ULA (Delta 4 solids and EELV composites) and Lockheed Martin (Athena?), not to mention the big shift in the defense business? - Ed Kyle
Quote from: edkyle99 on 04/29/2014 01:55 pmWill there be push back from ATK product buyers ULA (Delta 4 solids and EELV composites) and Lockheed Martin (Athena?), not to mention the big shift in the defense business?If it reduces their costs (or even stops them going up), and therefore their prices, why should they?cheers, Martin
Quote from: Chris Bergin on 04/29/2014 01:23 pm"This is the kind of merger, often sought, but rarely found." - Dave Thompson.ATK is the majority partner, but Dave Thompson seems to be doing most of the talking. The HQ would move to Orbital's site in Virginia. Would Mr. Thompson become the new CEO?
Quote from: edkyle99 on 04/29/2014 01:55 pmQuote from: Chris Bergin on 04/29/2014 01:23 pm"This is the kind of merger, often sought, but rarely found." - Dave Thompson.ATK is the majority partner, but Dave Thompson seems to be doing most of the talking. The HQ would move to Orbital's site in Virginia. Would Mr. Thompson become the new CEO?from SpaceNews article:"Orbital Chief Executive David W. Thompson will retain his post in the new ensemble, with ATK Aerospace President Blake E. Larson becoming chief operating officer of Orbital ATK. "
Is this Orbital's response to SpaceX - a shift to a more vertically integrated company?
What will Utah do?
> ATK will spin off its Sporting Group, which focuses on commercial sporting equipment, to its shareholders. <Didn't know they had a "sporting group"! Shirt sponsors for Liverpool next year?
Quote from: Chris Bergin on 04/29/2014 11:23 am> ATK will spin off its Sporting Group, which focuses on commercial sporting equipment, to its shareholders. <Didn't know they had a "sporting group"! Shirt sponsors for Liverpool next year? The Sporting Group sells mostly guns and hunting accessories.
I don't like this merger one bit. I have a lot of respect for Orbital and almost none for ATK.
Wow. Still people with dislike for ATK. Get over it, it was a different company and NASA were at fault for Challenger.
Wowwwwwwwwwwww!I would have seen an Orbital / SpaceX merger as a more likely play. Maybe there will be an Orbital ATK / SpaceX merger someday. Hmmm hmmm hmmm.I miss the days of Bob Crippen at the helm of Thiokol Propulsion. Clearly from the news, ATK over diversified with the sporting (ammo) stuff. Thiokol started from making adhesives (aka glue) by someone throwing chemicals down the drain by accident. This company can never go down the drain, they were already there. We're witnessing what backs up out of the drain now...=D