Here is a link to Dave Steffy's AIAA 2008 conference paper on Taurus II.http://www.aiaa.org/pdf/conferences/Steffy_NRO-AIAA_Conference_Paper--Steffy.pdfThis paper includes a schedule that shows the following significant milestones occurring during 2009.
Guess what, Orbital seems to have a time stretch factor similar to spaceX according to http://www.aiaa.org/pdf/conferences/Steffy_NRO-AIAA_Conference_Paper--Steffy.pdf
Also this year Americans increased the order in Ukraine in the framework of Taurus-II LV manufacture. First it was about Ukrainian companies to only design and produce the fuel compartment of the first stage. Now, Ukraine is working on a propulsion system for the 2-nd stage. It is an interesting project because the customer - American corporation "Orbital Sciences”, as is known, won the tender for delivery of cargoes to the ISS after 2010, when flying the space shuttle must be ended.
Quote from: Hauerg on 01/22/2011 02:37 pmGuess what, Orbital seems to have a time stretch factor similar to spaceX according to http://www.aiaa.org/pdf/conferences/Steffy_NRO-AIAA_Conference_Paper--Steffy.pdfFunny - this paper has the first stage diagram in it that was "outed" from this forum a few weeks ago when some one mentioned the acronym "ITAR"! - Ed Kyle
The two tests were so successful that Orbital engineers decided a planned third test was unnecessary.
Would someone care to comment on how it could be that the third test was "unnecessary?"
Quote from: PAO on 01/28/2011 07:33 pmThe two tests were so successful that Orbital engineers decided a planned third test was unnecessary.Kool-aid alert. It's all about the Benjamins. Thousands of Benjamins.
Franklin. Yes, it does look that way. Would someone care to comment on how it could be that the third test was "unnecessary?" Wasn't it to be a full duration burn performed after the standard acceptance test burn?
With regard to the third test, please see the NASA Stennis news release dated 12 November 2010 - http://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/news/newsreleases/2010/CLT-10-246.html - which states in part:[...]A third hot-fire test at Stennis also is planned to verify tuning of engine control valves."