Alliant Techsystems has appointed Blake Larson as Senior Vice President and President, ATK Space Systems. Mr. Larson is a 27-year veteran of ATK and its former parent company, Honeywell International. Mr. Larson has held a variety of key executive leadership positions in the company, and played an instrumental role in ATK's emergence as a leading aerospace firm.

Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President for the Space Systems group and the head of the company's Spacecraft Systems division within the Space Systems group. He has previously served as the Executive Vice President, ATK Mission Systems group. The Space Systems group will be headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In his new capacity, Mr. Larson will oversee all operational and strategic aspects of the company's Space Systems group, which is expected to have approximately $1.6 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2009.

The group's business includes solid rocket motor production for NASA programs such as the Ares I and Space Shuttle, as well as numerous strategic missile programs including the Minuteman III and Trident D(5) Fleet Ballistic missile, and multiple missile defense and commercial programs.

The group is a leader in the production of satellite components and subsystems for satellites, as well as integrated satellite bus systems, and a prime contractor for the emerging small satellite market.

ATK Space Systems is also a leading provider of lightweight space deployable systems, composite structures, solar arrays, propulsion tanks, advanced flares and decoys for U.S. and allied nations, as well as a services provider to the space industry.

"Blake offers a wealth of executive leadership, operational and strategic experience, a strong technical background, and intimate customer knowledge," said Chairman and CEO Dan Murphy.

ATK also named Mike Kahn to the position of Space Systems Executive Vice President. Mr. Kahn has more than 20 years of strategic and operational leadership experience with ATK. He is currently Executive Vice President and General Manager of Launch Systems.

Mike will join Blake to lead all of the group's businesses, while continuing to serve as the primary interface with the group's largest customer, NASA. "Mike is a highly respected executive with a comprehensive understanding of our business and how best to meet our customers' needs," said Murphy.