Author Topic: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES  (Read 466713 times)

Offline arachnitect

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #740 on: 12/16/2014 07:16 pm »
http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/15/nasa-takes-questions-about-antares-failure-impact/20462623/

Mostly about site cleanup. RP-1 and perchlorate contamination only. No hypergol issues (which is good).

Online catdlr

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #741 on: 12/18/2014 07:11 pm »
Virginia Senator Keane Visits Wallops Flight Facility, Tours Damaged Antares Pad

Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline rayleighscatter

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #742 on: 12/21/2014 11:35 pm »
Good photograph of the crater has been floating around the news the last few days. All things considered its pretty remarkable how little damage there is.



Offline arachnitect

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #743 on: 02/20/2015 08:54 pm »
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/20/us-orbital-atk-gencorp-explosion-idUSKBN0LO28P20150220

Quote
Orbital initially linked the explosion to a problem with the turbo pump in one of the two Soviet-era NK-33 engines that power the rocket. GenCorp Inc's Aerojet Rocketdyne unit refurbishes the old motors and resells them as AJ-26 motors.

Orbital ATK on Friday acknowledged that so-called "foreign object debris" was one of more than a half dozen credible causes of the explosion, but said it was not "a leading candidate as the most probable cause of the failure."

say it ain't so OrbATK...

Offline SkipMorrow

Cool article, but I'm not so sure that it really says anything. It says it is a possibility that debris left in the tank could cause an explosion. But then it says there is so evidence that this has happened. 

Now, I am not "in the know", and I could be completely wrong. To me, it just reads like any article that one typically finds after such an incident.

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Orbital ATK CEO David Thompson said that the failure investigation should conclude by the end of this month.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/12/us-orbital-atk-investigation-idUSKBN0M82MQ20150312
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Online catdlr

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #746 on: 04/16/2015 03:11 am »
U.S. FAA says plans careful look at Orbital report on rocket blast

Reuters By Andrea Shal

http://news.yahoo.com/u-faa-says-plans-careful-look-orbital-report-003743021--finance.html

Quote
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration will carefully review an Orbital ATK-led investigation into an October rocket explosion to ensure that all possible causes were properly considered, a top FAA official said Wednesday.
Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #747 on: 04/16/2015 03:51 am »
Nice piece at parabolicarc about Orbital and AeroJet (perhaps predictably) coming to different conclusions about th failure's root cause, each effectively blaming the other:

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/04/15/orbital-aerojet-rocketdyne-disagree-antares-explosion/

Offline abaddon

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #748 on: 05/21/2015 08:47 pm »
A little old, but I did not see it posted here: Both NASA and the state of Virginia say Orbital ATK should provide the remaining $2 million needed to finish repairing Pad 0A at the state-owned Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. - See more at: http://spacenews.com/officials-onus-on-orbital-atk-for-wallops-island-repairs/#sthash.OnYHr21s.dpuf
« Last Edit: 05/21/2015 08:49 pm by abaddon »

Offline rayleighscatter

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #749 on: 05/21/2015 09:14 pm »
Funny because Congress appropriated 20 million in windfall money to NASA for repairs which turned out to be only be 13 million, and then they only used 5 million and pocketed the rest.

Offline jacqmans

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #750 on: 07/01/2015 03:54 pm »
Some nice shots from the "new" pad

Source: https://www.facebook.com/SpaceflightPhotography
Jacques :-)

Offline Sam Ho

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #751 on: 07/31/2015 03:58 pm »
Jeff Foust has an update on the investigation, but there isn't a whole lot of new information, just that it will be finished soon.

http://spacenews.com/orbital-atk-completing-final-report-on-antares-failure/

Offline Chris Bergin

Updating things....
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/08/orb-4-cygnus-set-atlas-v-ride-ahead-antares-return/

Nathan Koga with the stunning render out of L2 :)
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Offline Prober

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #753 on: 08/07/2015 06:31 pm »
Updating things....
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/08/orb-4-cygnus-set-atlas-v-ride-ahead-antares-return/

Nathan Koga with the stunning render out of L2 :)

and a very special  ;) for that render.   Looks better each time I see it.
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Offline jacqmans

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #754 on: 08/12/2015 06:55 pm »
The MARS Pad 0A Repairs Are On Track
 
The MARS Pad 0A repairs are on track with completion scheduled for this fall to support an upcoming Antares hot fire test and return to flight operations in 2016. Photo credit: NASA/ Brea Reeves
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #755 on: 08/12/2015 07:24 pm »
Orbital ATK Updates Progress on International Space Station Cargo Delivery Program for NASA

-- Company in Advanced Preparations for Next Cygnus Mission Later This Year --

-- Antares Rocket on Track for Return to Flight from Wallops Island in Early 2016 --

Dulles, Virginia 12 August 2015 – Orbital ATK, Inc. (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, is making excellent progress in resuming its cargo delivery service to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract, the company stated today.  Orbital ATK is on track to launch its next CRS mission late this year and is moving forward with integration of a new first stage propulsion system into the Antares launch vehicle in preparation for multiple CRS missions in 2016.

“We committed to NASA that we would resume CRS cargo delivery missions as soon as possible under a comprehensive ‘go-forward’ plan after the Antares launch failure last October,” said David W. Thompson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Orbital ATK. “Since that time our team has been sharply focused on fulfilling that commitment. With a Cygnus mission slated for later this year and at least three additional missions to the Space Station planned in 2016, we are on track to meet our CRS cargo requirements for NASA.”

Three main CRS program efforts are simultaneously underway, including preparing the enhanced Cygnus spacecraft for the next ISS cargo mission (OA-4) to launch aboard an Atlas V rocket this December; upgrading the Antares rocket by integrating and testing the new RD-181 main engines with the modified first stage core structure; and working with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) to complete repairs to the Pad 0A launch complex at Wallops Island to support the resumption of CRS missions from Wallops Island in early 2016.

Preparations for the OA-4 Mission

Orbital ATK will launch its next Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS aboard an Atlas V rocket supplied by United Launch Alliance (ULA) from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The OA-4 CRS mission is scheduled for launch in early December 2015. Like most Orbital ATK spacecraft, Cygnus is designed to be compatible with multiple launch vehicles. This capability, combined with ULA’s flexibility in making available a launch slot this year, is enabling Orbital ATK to carry out the mission on a shortened schedule to be responsive to NASA’s ISS logistics requirements.

“For the OA-4 mission, launching aboard the more powerful Atlas V allows us to better support NASA’s ISS cargo needs with a full load of about 3,500 kg of pressurized cargo, consisting of essential supplies, equipment and science experiments,” said Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK’s Space Systems Group. The company also recently contracted with ULA for a second Atlas V rocket that will be used to launch an additional CRS mission in 2016 in order to provide NASA with the maximum cargo load Cygnus can carry. 

“In 2016, we will carry out at least three more CRS missions:  two (or possibly three) will be launched by Antares rockets, the first of which is on a path to be ready to launch early in the year, and one more will be launched aboard Atlas V to support NASA’s need for additional cargo,” Culbertson added. “We have not finalized the exact sequence of these missions yet, but the plan capitalizes on the flexibility of Cygnus to launch on either vehicle and provides better schedule assurance for our customer.”

The Cygnus spacecraft to be used for upcoming CRS missions features an extended pressurized cargo module (PCM) that allows it to deliver larger volumes of cargo to the station than in previous missions.  The spacecraft will also use the latest in lightweight space-qualified power system technology with the addition of the company’s Ultraflex solar arrays.

The PCM for the OA-4 mission arrived at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) earlier this week where it will be integrated with the Cygnus spacecraft’s service module, which will arrive in early October. The service module, which houses the spacecraft’s avionics, electrical, propulsion and communications systems, is currently completing final testing at the company’s Dulles, Virginia satellite manufacturing facility. Final assembly, cargo loading and fueling of the Cygnus spacecraft will take place at KSC prior to its integration with the Atlas V rocket for an early December launch. 

Antares Return-to-Flight Progress 

Orbital ATK’s Antares program remains on schedule to commence flight operations from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in early 2016. Following the completion of certification and acceptance testing of the RD-181, the first dual-engine ship-set arrived at the Antares integration facilities at Wallops Island in mid-July.

“The RD-181 engine provides extra thrust and higher specific impulse, significantly increasing the payload capacity of the Antares rocket.  This state-of-the-art propulsion system is a direct adaptation of the RD-191 engine, which completed an extensive qualification and certification program in 2013, accumulating more than 37,000 seconds of total run time,” said Mr. Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK’s Flight Systems Group. 

Antares program engineers and technicians recently integrated the two RD-181 engines with a newly designed and built thrust frame adapter and modified first stage airframe.  Later this month, new propellant feed lines and first stage avionics systems will be delivered to Wallops to support full vehicle integration.  Orbital ATK plans to conduct a “hot fire” test on the launch pad late this year or in early 2016 to verify the vehicle’s operational performance and compatibility of the MARS launch complex.

“With the delivery of the first set of flight engines now accomplished, and the second ship-set expected to arrive in the fall, Antares remains solidly on track to resume flights early in 2016.  In fact, within the next couple of weeks all the hardware for the next Antares vehicle will be at our Wallops final assembly facility, with equipment for several additional rockets following a few months later,” added Lehr.

Status of MARS Launch Pad Repairs 

Repairs of the MARS Pad 0A launch facility at Wallops Island are currently underway and are scheduled to be completed at the end of September. Working with MARS, Orbital ATK has installed an upgraded hydraulic system used to erect Antares vertically on the pad, which recently completed testing and certification. Other launch pad systems are on track to comfortably support the on-pad Antares “hot fire” test late this year or in early 2016.

The Orbital ATK CRS Team

Employees from Orbital ATK locations across the United States support the CRS program, including teams from Dulles, Virginia; Chandler, Arizona; Goleta and Commerce, California; Magna, Utah; and Wallops Island, Virginia. 

“Our team and our partners are devoting maximum efforts to ensuring the success of NASA’s ISS commercial cargo program,” said Thompson. “We are committed to meeting all CRS mission requirements, and we are prepared to continue to supply the Space Station for many years to come if we are selected for additional missions by NASA.”

http://www.orbitalatk.com/News-Room/release.asp?prid=63
Jacques :-)

Offline TrevorMonty

Still waiting for Orbital to release their report into accident.

The politicians were very quick to ask questions about SpaceX CRS7 launch failure but have be strangely silent about the Antares failure.

Offline rayleighscatter

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #757 on: 08/26/2015 09:47 pm »
Still waiting for Orbital to release their report into accident.

The politicians were very quick to ask questions about SpaceX CRS7 launch failure but have be strangely silent about the Antares failure.
Because NASA was already investigating the Antares failure.

Offline woods170

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #758 on: 08/27/2015 09:11 am »
Still waiting for Orbital to release their report into accident.

The politicians were very quick to ask questions about SpaceX CRS7 launch failure but have be strangely silent about the Antares failure.
Because NASA was already investigating the Antares failure.
Wrong take. NASA is also investigating the SpaceX failure. The politicians (specifically rep. Lamar Smith) failed to notice however. The wording of Bolden in his letter was very gentle and kind, but basically boiled down to saying to mr. Smith: "Next time have yourself informed a little better before asking silly questions."

Offline edkyle99

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Re: FAILURE: Orbital's Antares/Cygnus ORB-3 (CRS-3) - UPDATES
« Reply #759 on: 08/27/2015 02:09 pm »
The public deserves to have an answer.  Private property damage was reported after Antares blew up.  Public property, paid for by local and national taxpayers, was damaged and destroyed.

The FAA investigates and reports on aircraft accidents.  It finds a way to report in a detailed, descriptive manner despite the legal disputes that often continue in the accident's wake.  It should be no different for Orbital-ATK's Antares.

 - Ed Kyle

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