OA-8 Fun FactThe OA-8 mission will carry 3350kg of cargo to the space station onboard a Cygnus spacecraft. This will be the largest amount of cargo to be carried on an Antares mission to date and is the equivalent of sending more than three classrooms or 105 fifth graders to space!
Is that a fueled Castor second stage in the second image? I would have expected solid motors to be handled separately from the liquid stages until stacking pre-launch. This isn't the case for Antares?
We’re very proud of the capabilities that our engineers have built into #Antares & #Cygnus - Frank Culbertson, Space Systems Group President
We currently have 6 CRS-2 launches scheduled, all on our #Antares rockets - Culbertson
The OA-8 Mission is planned for September, but we are ready for #Cygnus whenever NASA needs it - Kurt Eberly, VP Orbital ATK #Antares
Culbertson: could launch OA-9 as soon as November, if NASA wants to go again that soon. OA-8 could be ready as early as late July if needed.
Targeted launch date for OA-8 is September 12, but we are ready to go earlier depending on needs of @NASA and @Space_Station - Culbertson
Culbertson: planning to carry 3,350 kg of cargo on both OA-8 and OA-9.
Orbital ATK Verified account @OrbitalATK 1m1 minute agoThe OA-8 #Antares rocket is fully assembled and awaiting integration with #Cygnus at @NASA_Wallops
Orbital ATK Verified account @OrbitalATK 6m6 minutes ago#Antares 230 engines stand ready to support the OA-8 mission
When will Orbital ATK use the core that was test-fired in May 2016?
Quote from: ZachS09 on 06/12/2017 07:01 pmWhen will Orbital ATK use the core that was test-fired in May 2016?I think that was expected to be used for OA-9
Quote from: rayleighscatter on 06/12/2017 08:34 pmQuote from: ZachS09 on 06/12/2017 07:01 pmWhen will Orbital ATK use the core that was test-fired in May 2016?I think that was expected to be used for OA-9How certain are you?
@NanoRacks' Manber says co to buy/launch 2.8kg, 2u @AsgardiaSpace sat from @NearSpaceLaunch; launch on Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo this fall.
Launch delayed from Sept. 12 to Oct. 11.
Jeff Foust @jeff_foust 3m3 minutes agoSchedule of upcoming ISS launches/landings from Sam Scimemi’s talk at the NAC HEO committee meeting. One change: SpX-12 now Aug. 14, not 12.
Jeff Foust @jeff_foust 11m11 minutes agoOrbital ATK’s David Thompson says next Cygnus/Antares launch now likely in October. Schedule paced by a spare part NASA wants to fly on it.
Jeff Foust @jeff_foust 10m10 minutes agoReplying to @jeff_foustThompson, in an earnings call this morning, said that means that next mission after this will slip to early 2018.
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/894604294321721344ELaNa XIII has switched to this mission with 2 cubes.
ELaNa XIIIDate: NET Oct 11, 2017Mission: OA-8/OA-8E – Antares, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia2 CubeSat Missions scheduled to be deployedISARA – Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CaliforniaEcAMSat – NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California