From Novosti Kosmonavtiki forum:
Quote from: Salo on 12/22/2012 07:18 pmFrom Novosti Kosmonavtiki forum:O.K. What is that thing on the far right? - Ed Kyle
I guess the only thing to compare it with is Spacex's timetable. 1st F9 launch June/July 2010, 1st COTS demo launch Oct 2010, 2nd/3rd May 2012 1st CRS delivery Oct 2012 (roughly). However Orbital have much more experience of dealing with new launch vehicles so maybe there more able to anticipate problems and avoid them in the design and test phases prior to launch.
Quote from: john smith 19 on 12/28/2012 09:18 pmA very odd choice given all Orbital's experience (AFAIK) is in solids, except for their storable final stages. The X-34 used LOX/Kerosene. Besides the first stage core is being done by the same Ukrainians who manufacture Zenit.
A very odd choice given all Orbital's experience (AFAIK) is in solids, except for their storable final stages.
Quote from: cheesybagel on 01/01/2013 11:23 pmQuote from: john smith 19 on 12/28/2012 09:18 pmA very odd choice given all Orbital's experience (AFAIK) is in solids, except for their storable final stages. The X-34 used LOX/Kerosene. Besides the first stage core is being done by the same Ukrainians who manufacture Zenit.Orbital was well along in development of "Taurus II" before the COTS selection.
While a "Taurus II" may have been on their drawing boards or in planning stages, I suspect it would have ended up significantly different than the current "Antares" without COTS.
The best guess now from the Dulles-based Orbital Sciences Corporation is that its Antares rocket might finally get its dress rehearsal — a test launch — in late February."We're in the homestretch for sure," said Orbital spokesman Barron Beneski.It's impossible to establish a firm test date until ground tests end, perhaps by the end of this month, Beneski said. Then it could take another four to six weeks to get the rocket ready for its test flight.
I have seen references that at yesterday's briefing Mike Suffredini said that the first launch of Antares has been pushed back to March. Is that correct?
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 01/18/2013 01:44 pmI have seen references that at yesterday's briefing Mike Suffredini said that the first launch of Antares has been pushed back to March. Is that correct?http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8031:iss-program-and-science-overview-briefing&catid=1:latest (04:49 - 06:05; HD 09:52 - 11:08).
The objective for the first half of this year is to get the Orbital demo flight off - we'd like to see the Cygnus spacecraft at ISS sometime in the summer timeframe. That's going very well - in fact today [17 Jan] they're doing the last step in the cold-flow test, out at the Wallops launch facility. This afternoon, after lunch I think, they'll start the flowing of the propellant in order to test that whole system. That'll be followed up immediately at the end of January by a hotfire test which has been in the works for some time. And then the plan is to have the test flight that we've talked about in roughly the March/early spring timeframe, with a full possible launch of the demo flight hopefully in the summer timeframe. So that's the plan for the Orbital vehicle, and many things have come together with getting the pad ready and the vehicle ready to go fly; they've overcome a number of hurdles and the schedule is starting to stabilize on that system and so we're looking forward to it coming to ISS as well.
Short version:Cold-flow tests - concluding todayHotfire test - end of JanuaryTest launch - March/"early spring" (April?)Cygnus COTS demo to ISS - "Summer timeframe" (July/August?)
Hampton Roads has an unofficial "save the date" from NASA for the much-anticipated commercial launches of the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft from the Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.In a press briefing Thursday from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, NASA officials said April 5 is penciled in for a demonstration launch and attempt to berth with the International Space Station (ISS), and mid-August for the first official resupply mission.But those dates came with a reality check."Many things could happen," said Mike Suffredini, ISS program manager, noting that Dulles-based Orbital Sciences Corporation has already overcome a "number of hurdles" to get its technology to this point. "We think the schedule is starting to stabilize."
QuoteHampton Roads has an unofficial "save the date" from NASA for the much-anticipated commercial launches of the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft from the Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.In a press briefing Thursday from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, NASA officials said April 5 is penciled in for a demonstration launch and attempt to berth with the International Space Station (ISS), and mid-August for the first official resupply mission.But those dates came with a reality check."Many things could happen," said Mike Suffredini, ISS program manager, noting that Dulles-based Orbital Sciences Corporation has already overcome a "number of hurdles" to get its technology to this point. "We think the schedule is starting to stabilize."http://articles.dailypress.com/2013-01-18/news/dp-nws-nasa-rocket-briefing-20130118_1_cygnus-spacecraft-antares-rocket-orbital-spokesman-barron-beneski
Are the previous NK-33s taken to America all ones manufactured decades ago?
There are less then 100 engines.