NASA Chooses Orbital Sciences to Launch Its Carbon Observatory Satellite

In another indication of the increasing importance of the new commercial space industry's importance, NASA's just selected Orbital Sciences to launch its first satellite dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide. The OCO-2 (Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2) satellite is due to be lofted into space in 2013 by an Orbital managed launch from California's Vandenburg Air Force base. It'll fly on top of a Taurus XL 3110 rocket, which is a four-stage solid-fueled system (a little like the Space Shuttle's solid boosters) that's based on Orbital's earlier successful Pegasus air-launch rockets. The vehicle's first stage is actually made by Thiokol using a design based on the Peacekeeper ICBM missile technology. More

(Source: Fast Company - Jun 25)