<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-02-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000820736</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ORBITAL SCIENCES CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ORB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001045863</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>THOMPSON JAMES R JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>45101 WARP DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DULLES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20166</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-02-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>281078</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-02-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1385</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Spouse</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 277,748 shares of common stock disposed of pursuant to the Transaction Agreement among Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (renamed Orbital ATK, Inc.) (&quot;Orbital ATK&quot;), Vista Merger Sub Inc., Vista Outdoor Inc. (formerly known as Vista SpinCo Inc.) and Orbital Sciences Corporation (&quot;Orbital&quot;) (the &quot;Transaction Agreement&quot;), pursuant to which each share of Orbital common stock was converted into 0.449 shares of Orbital ATK common stock and cash payable in lieu of fractional shares and 3,330 Restricted Stock Units disposed of pursuant to the Transaction Agreement whereby each Restricted Stock Unit of Orbital was converted into 0.449 Restricted Stock Units of Orbital ATK with the same vesting schedule, resulting in 124,708 shares of Orbital ATK common stock and 1,495 Restricted Stock Units of Orbital ATK, each at a market value of $63.94 based on the opening price per share of Orbital ATK common stock on the first trading day following the Merger.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents 1,385 shares of common stock disposed of pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, pursuant to which each share of Orbital common stock was converted into 0.449 shares of Orbital ATK common stock and cash payable in lieu of fractional shares of Orbital ATK common stock, resulting in 621 shares of Orbital ATK common stock at market value of $63.94 per share based on the opening price per share of Orbital ATK common stock on the first day of trading following the Merger.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ James S. Black II, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-02-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
