Orbital ATK's (NYSE: OA) Pegasus^® rocket has successfully launched NASA's Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) satellite for NASA—this successful launch was the 29th consecutive successful mission for the Pegasus rocket since 1997 and the 43rd overall flight of the world’s first privately developed commercial rocket.

Orbital ATK's Stargazer L-1011 aircraft with Pegasus rocket slung below the fuselage.

Photo is courtesy of Orbital ATK.

Pegasus is the leading launch system for the deployment of smallsats into LEO. As the only NASA Launch Services Category 3 vehicle in the small-launch class, Pegasus is certified to launch NASA’s most valuable satellites.

The CYGNSS constellation of eight satellites is a NASA Earth System Science Pathfinder Mission that will collect spaceâ€