McDonnell Douglas Unit Wins Rocket Contracts

The Space Systems division of McDonnell Douglas Corp. has won defense contracts totaling $22.9 million, one to improve the avionics of its Delta II rocket and the other to devise a better way of blowing it up.

The contracts are a continuation of work already in progress at the Huntington Beach plant, a McDonnell Douglas spokesman said.

One of the Air Force orders would lead to an upgrading of the avionics systems and improve the “flight termination system,” which allows ground controllers to destroy a rocket if it malfunctions.

Some 43 Delta IIs have been launched consecutively without a mishap, making it one of the most reliable rockets in history. There have been 221 launches of Delta II rockets since it was developed to deliver nuclear warheads in the early 1960s. The rockets are now used to boost satellites and other payloads into space.