Alliant Techsystems played a key role in the successful launch of United Launch Alliance's Delta II rocket Saturday, Sept. 6 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

ATK manufactured the four GEM-40 solid propulsion strap-on boosters that ignited with the Delta II first-stage main engine at liftoff.

The boosters provided 600,000 pounds of maximum thrust helping carry the Geo-Eye-1 satellite to its required orbit.

ATK manufactured the GEM-40 motors at its facility in Magna, Utah, continuing a tradition of flight support for Delta II missions that began in 1990.

The composite cases for the GEM-40 boosters were produced at ATK's Clearfield, Utah, facility and are made of graphite epoxy material (GEM).

The lightweight, filament wound cases are one-fifth the weight of steel. Mission specific doors were fabricated and installed on the Delta II composite fairing by ATK's Iuka, Miss., facility.

GeoEye-1 is a next-generation, earth imaging satellite and will have the highest resolution of any commercial imaging system -- 0.41-meters or 16 inches for panchromatic (black and white) imagery and multispectral (color) imagery at 1.65-meter resolution.

GeoEye-1 was financed in part by GeoEye's approximate $500-million contract with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.