Iuka’s everyday Americans in space

IUKA, Miss. - When one thinks of space, the historical names of Cape Canaveral, Fla., and Houston spring to mind. Iuka, Miss., hardly appears on that map. Iuka is home to an Orbital ATK composite components facility for the Antares, Atlas V, Delta IV, Minotaur, and Pegasus rockets. With a population just less than 3,000 people, Iuka is the county seat of Tishomingo County and Woodall Mountain, the highest point in the state. There were no engineers in lab coats. They were wearing jeans, T-shirts and baseball caps – everyday Americans. John Kain, Orbital ATK’s operations director at the plant, guided a tour through the facilities. With Dexy’s Midnight Runners’ “Come on Eileen” playing in the background, it would have been easy to forget this facility produces highly-complex rocket components. Then, one sees pathways of laser light etched out on the surface of an Antares payload fairing, and reality begins to set in. (Source: Space Flight Insider 11/20/17)