Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB has completed the acquisition of a Gilbert, Arizona-based, spacecraft development and manufacturing business from General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE: GD). With the formal closing of the acquisition, Orbital welcomed to its workforce approximately 325 new employees, most of whom are engineers, technicians, and program managers, many with security clearances for sensitive U.S. Government programs. Orbital has also acquired a state-of-the-art 135,000 square foot space systems manufacturing, integration and test facility that is one of the most modern and capable in the world, providing the company with additional satellite manufacturing capacity to accommodate anticipated growth for many years to come.

The acquisition is expected to enhance Orbital's already-established position in the growing market for national security space systems, including spacecraft used in intelligence and surveillance, missile tracking, space situational awareness, space weather monitoring and other operational defense missions. The combination will also substantially strengthen the company's capabilities to design and manufacture Earth science, weather and climate monitoring, and space-based astronomy satellite systems.