Alliant Techsystems (ATK) was awarded a $1.8 billion contract to build the first stage rocket motors for the Orion space vehicle. The first stage motors from Alliant will be a departure from the solid/liquid combination in use today and will instead employ only solid fuel.

Lockheed Martin and Alliant Techsystems are competing for a $900 million contract to build the upper stage rockets for the Ares 1 crew launch vehicle, which will be the expendable rocket system for the Orion vehicle. Alliant already has the contract to build the main stage rocket for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle project. The Ares 1 is expected to have a test launch in 2009.

The United Launch Alliance(ULA) successfully launched a Delta II rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force base in California. The rocket carried a classified satellite for a client of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The rocket was powered by a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS- 27A main engine and nine Alliant Techsystems (ATK) strap-on solid
rocket boosters. An Aerojet AJ10-118K engine powered the second stage. The
configuration features a ten-foot-diameter payload fairing.