Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Electric Corp. said Oct. 22 it had concluded a $66 million deal with Dulles, Va.-based Orbital Sciences Corp. to supply Proximity Link System components that will guide Orbital’s unmanned Cygnus cargo vehicle to the international space station.
The Proximity Link System components were originally developed for Japan’s automated H-2 Transfer Vehicle, which made its first cargo run to the space station in September.
Mitsubishi said in a press release that it will deliver the components to Orbital between 2010 and 2014.
Orbital is developing Cygnus and its Taurus 2 launch vehicle with the help of $171 million in NASA funding won in February 2008 under the U.S. space agency’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. NASA gave the company a $1.9 billion contract last December to haul some 20 tons of cargo to the space station between 2011 and 2015. Taurus 2’s inaugural launch is targeted for early 2011, about three months later than originally planned.