Rocket Failure (Updated)

It is too early to tell how much of an impact yesterday's failed Antares rocket launch will have on manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corp., according to the company's chairman and chief executive officer.

David Thompson told Wall Street analysts today during a conference call that the company should have preliminary answers as to the cause of the launch failure at some point next month.

Yesterday's mission was to have resupplied the International Space Station, but Orbital's rocket fell back to earth and exploded within seconds after launch.

Orbital's "No. 1 priority at this stage is to meet our commitment to our customers," Thompson said, adding that the company will "look at all of the alternatives to minimize any disruptions" in future rocket deliveries and "sometime in the month of November . . . will have settled on a course forward."

UPDATE 2:50 p.m.: Alliant Techsystems, set to merge its aerospace and defense business with Orbital Sciences, said in a statement today that it is "conducting a thorough evaluation of any potential implications" from Tuesday's failed Antares launch on the proposed merger.

Earlier this year, ATK announced it would merge its aerospace and defense groups with Orbital and spin off its sporting group into a separate company. ATK said on Tuesday it will hold a special meeting of stockholders on Dec. 9 to consider and vote on the proposal.

The deal is set to close by the end of 2014 or early next year, according to ATK.

In its call with investors, Orbital's Thompson said there is no specific provision in the agreement between ATK and Orbital for a launch failure.

"That's an infrequent but still not altogether unavoidable occurence in our business, and I think that's generally appreciated all around," he said. "So as far as I know, I think things will continue."