Commercial Rocket Prepares For Launch

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Commercial Rocket Makes Trek to Launchpad

On April 6 at Wallops Flight Facility, NASA commercial partner Orbital Sciences Corporation rolled out the first fully-integrated Antares rocket to Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A , in preparation for its inaugural flight. Orbital is testing Antares under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. NASA initiatives like COTS are helping develop a robust U.S. commercial space transportation industry with the goal of achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station and low-Earth orbit.

Source: NASAtelevision - YouTube Channel

Edited April 7, 2013 by Waspie_Dwarf

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Antares Test Flight Scheduled for April 17

Credit: NASA/Brea Reeves

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WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. -- Orbital Sciences Corp. completed roll-out of the first fully-integrated Antares rocket to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Saturday, April 6. Orbital has confirmed an April 17 target launch date for the rocket test flight with a planned liftoff of 5 p.m. EDT. Orbital is testing the Antares rocket under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. NASA initiatives like COTS are helping develop a robust U.S. commercial space transportation industry with the goal of achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station and low-Earth orbit. For more information on the launch, Wallops, and NASA initiatives like COTS, see: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/missions/antares.html.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9hVzvleYuQ&hd=1

Aerial Views of Antares on Pad 0A

Aerial views of Orbital's Antares rocket on Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia. Orbital developed the medium-class Antares launch vehicle to boost its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit to deliver cargo to the international space station under an agreement with NASA. In addition to the space station cargo missions, Antares is designed to launch payloads into a variety of low inclination low-Earth and sun synchronous orbits and interplanetary trajectories

Source: Orbital Sciences Corporation - YouTube Channel

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Antares Test Flight Scheduled for April 17

NASA's commercial partner, Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles, Va., is scheduled to launch its first Antares rocket from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A at the agency's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Wednesday, April 17. Orbital managers held a Launch Readiness Review Monday afternoon and gave a “go” to proceed toward launch, pending the outcome of a Wallops Range Authority to Proceed meeting scheduled for Tuesday. Liftoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. with a launch window that runs until 8 p.m. NASA Television coverage of the launch will begin at 4 p.m. EDT.

There is a 45 percent chance of favorable weather at the time of launch. Low clouds are the primary concern for a weather violation. If needed, back-up launch opportunities are available April 18-21.

In advance of the launch, NASA will host a media briefing to discuss the Wallops Flight Facility, Orbital's activities under NASA's commercial space initiatives, and the new Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A. It will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, at the Wallops Visitors Center. At 3 p.m., NASA will host a prelaunch news conference about the test launch and mission. Both briefings will be carried live on NASA TV and the agency's website.

Join the conversation on Twitter by following the hashtag #Antares. To learn more about all the ways to Connect and Collaborate with NASA, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/connect

For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the launch and an updated scheduled of prelaunch briefings, events and NASA TV coverage times, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/orbital

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On Saturday, Orbital Sciences Corporation conducted a wet dress rehearsal for the Antares rocket in preparation its Test Flight scheduled for later this week on April 17. Late in the countdown, at about T-16 minutes, the test was halted because the launch team had detected a technical anomaly in the process. Orbital has determined that a secondary pyro valve aboard one of the two first-stage engines used in the propellant chilldown process was not functioning properly. A replacement unit will be installed within 24 hours with the goal of maintaining the April 17 launch date. Continue to follow this page for news about the launch.

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ISS Update: Bruce Manners Talks About the Antares Test Launch

Public Affairs Officer Amiko Kauderer interviews Bruce Manners, COTS Orbital Sciences Project Executive, from Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center.

Credit: NASA

Source: NASA - Multimedia