Current estimated launch date: May/June 2016
Wallops Flight Facility Launch Pad 0A
First flight Antares 230
Return to flight @ Wallops LP 0A
Second attempt for first flight of Castor 30XL second stage
Third flight of Enhanced Cygnus
Orbital ATK's first orbital launch (as combined company)
Resources:
Orbital ATK GENERAL Forum Section:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=46.0
Orbital ATK (Antares/Cygnus) News Articles:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/tag/orbital/
==
L2 Antares/Cygnus Section - Really good section with a lot of documentation, video and content resources exclusive to L2:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=54.0
(Now includes 100s of mbs of unreleased hi res images taken of Cygnus from the ISS during ORB-D, ORB-1, and ORB-2).
Isn't this the next Atlas mission, if not why are they jumping around with the numbering?
Isn't this the next Atlas mission, if not why are they jumping around with the numbering?I think earlier on, OA-5 on Antares was roughly scheduled to launch about March and OA-6 was supposed to launch around June but it sounds as if Antares got delayed a little, and the Atlas launch got moved up, so suddenly the two flights swapped places, after mission numbers had already been assigned.
... but I am sort of disappointed I didn't see the ENORMOUS fireball of the last Antares from that close spot).
Favorite thing about Antares Return to Flight is that Wallops is just a ~2 hour drive from my house, and I know a really good spot to watch from (and I feel very bad saying it because of the heartbreak of all the Orbital engineers, but I am sort of disappointed I didn't see the ENORMOUS fireball of the last Antares from that close spot).
This is the Pressurized Cargo Module and it's heading to KSC for the OA-6 mission.Why is the PCM in Texas? Early PCMs went directly from Italy to the launch site.
Why is the PCM in Texas? Early PCMs went directly from Italy to the launch site.
Why is the PCM in Texas? Early PCMs went directly from Italy to the launch site.
OA-4 PCM went from Italy to the launch site via Savannah
And another great article on Antares 230, via Chris Gebhardt:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/02/orbital-atk-summer-debut-new-antares-230/
Status from recent NAC meeting.What is "regression testing?"
The International Space Station cargo ship launching from Cape Canaveral on March 22 has been given a name — the SS Rick Husband
Dunno how else to say this, but isn't naming this born to burn up on re-entry spacecraft after STS-107 Commander Rick Husband a little wrong? I've heard several other observers say the same thing.
Dunno how else to say this, but isn't naming this born to burn up on re-entry spacecraft after STS-107 Commander Rick Husband a little wrong? I've heard several other observers say the same thing.My thoughts exactly. This is why I think it is a bad idea to name spacecraft after people. Fortunately for ATV this worked out fine but I didn't like it being named after people either.
SFN.... (http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/03/08/photos-cygnus-packed-up-and-fueled-for-trip-to-the-space-station/)QuoteThe International Space Station cargo ship launching from Cape Canaveral on March 22 has been given a name — the SS Rick Husband
The Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized module for the Orbital ATK CRS-5 mission arrives at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on March 8, 2016, to begin processing. Cygnus is scheduled to fly atop the Antares rocket to deliver supplies, equipment and science experiments to the International Space Station this summer from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops.
QuoteThe Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized module for the Orbital ATK CRS-5 mission arrives at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on March 8, 2016, to begin processing. Cygnus is scheduled to fly atop the Antares rocket to deliver supplies, equipment and science experiments to the International Space Station this summer from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops.
I'm not sure what building that is, it isn't OA's HIF.
Slipping till 6/24
Slipping till 6/24
That's the same day as SpaceX CRS-9 and NROL-61. Three launches in one day?
OA-5 Launch likely just after 4th July.Would be nice for you Amerikanskis if an [sarcasm]all-American[/sarcasm] rocket like Antares launches on the 4th of July. Perhaps you'll even get to see some great fireworks!
All-American??.OA-5 Launch likely just after 4th July.Would be nice for you Amerikanskis if an all-American rocket like Antares launches on the 4th of July. Perhaps you'll even get to see some great fireworks!
All-American??.And the cargo can is Italian. I was being sarcastic, which is hard to convey on the internet.
IIRC they use an ukrainian first stage powered by 2 russian RD-182 engines.
Pathfinder, Deep Impact, and STS-121 were pretty nice 4th of July shows.OA-5 Launch likely just after 4th July.Would be nice for you Amerikanskis if an [sarcasm]all-American[/sarcasm] rocket like Antares launches on the 4th of July. Perhaps you'll even get to see some great fireworks!
Pathfinder, Deep Impact, and STS-121 were pretty nice 4th of July shows.OA-5 Launch likely just after 4th July.Would be nice for you Amerikanskis if an [sarcasm]all-American[/sarcasm] rocket like Antares launches on the 4th of July. Perhaps you'll even get to see some great fireworks!
First of all -- Blake alluded to this in his comments -- we've got, I think, three big events relating to Antares this year. The first one will occur later this month. In fact, next week, we will roll out to the launch pad, the first re-engined Antares in preparation for buyer testing of the first stage and its new engines, which will occur later this month. That's the first milestone.
Assuming things go smoothly there, then probably on the order of six weeks later -- so that would put us around just after the fourth of July -- we expect to be ready to launch the first of two re-engined Antares rockets on a space station cargo mission, which we call OA-5. And then we will turn around about three or four months later, probably sometime in November, for a second Antares launch on another space station cargo run. So those are the three big events this year. All of the hardware necessary for the engine test, as well as the first two launches of the re-engined rocket, is at the Wallops Island launch base now. And so we are getting close to being back to flight-ready status.
Beyond this year, with the new extension mission added, and with the new CRS-2 contract coming on line, the base level of demand, really through the middle of the next decade, for Antares should run at two or three launches per year. And that gives us a solid foundation on which we can increase market reach of the vehicle, and flight rates as well. We designed Antares, like we do most of our launch vehicles, to represent good businesses for our customers in terms of schedule and reliability, and good businesses for us in terms of profit margin, at fairly modest launch rates.
And we do that by commonality across a broad range of target vehicles, missile defense interceptors, small space launch vehicles, and now with Antares medium-class vehicles, we use a lot of interchangeable parts and subsystems. We use the same engineering and manufacturing teams and facilities, and so as we go from two or three launches a year to five or six launches a year, there's a lot of operating leverage for us in that. Once we get back to flight status and put a couple of good launches behind us, then I think we will start to see some real traction in the broader market, beyond just NASA cargo delivery.
Dunno how else to say this, but isn't naming this born to burn up on re-entry spacecraft after STS-107 Commander Rick Husband a little wrong? I've heard several other observers say the same thing.My thoughts exactly. This is why I think it is a bad idea to name spacecraft after people. Fortunately for ATV this worked out fine but I didn't like it being named after people either.
SFN.... (http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/03/08/photos-cygnus-packed-up-and-fueled-for-trip-to-the-space-station/)QuoteThe International Space Station cargo ship launching from Cape Canaveral on March 22 has been given a name — the SS Rick Husband
The #Cygnus #OA5 service module shipped out to @NASA_Wallops today, progressing toward this summer's Antares #launch(pic attached)
(NASA photo/Allison Stancil)
Someone is clearly confused... why were they trying to get to the Moon from MARS?
I'll see myself out.
Someone is clearly confused... why were they trying to get to the Moon from MARS?
I'll see myself out.
Remember the LADEE launch on September 7, 2013? A Minotaur V rocket launched from Pad 0B that day, and it just so happens that the Minotaur V has trans-lunar injection capability.
Interesting that they did not post photos of the business end of Stage No. 6.
- Ed Kyle
Yes, but no images of the assembled boat tail. Remember too that this was not the OA-5 booster that was rolled out.Interesting that they did not post photos of the business end of Stage No. 6.
- Ed Kyle
RD-181 engines integrated on the OA-5 booster are visible in some of the photos in this article:
http://www.universetoday.com/128874/upgraded-antares-rolls-out-to-virginia-launch-pad-high-stakes-engine-test-looms/
Greetings!
I will be in the area of Wallops Island and plan to go to the NASA visitor center tomorrow and also see if I can get eyes on anything on the pad. Is there anything I should look out for? Should I expect to see anything related to this launch?
pat o.
Well, this is about the best I could do with the lens I had and being 2+ miles away. I tried, they wouldn't let me get closer. :)
Either way it was still cool to set eyes on it. Looking forward to heading down again in 6-7 weeks!!
First two photos were taken from the same location. Third photo was from the lobby of the Visitor's Center.
Just FYI, as many here are probably aware, if you want a public viewing location as close as you can be to the pad and with an unobstructed view (and closer than I believe you were and much closer than the Chincoteague causeway; it's also closer than the VIP/press area), the end of Arbuckle Neck Rd (at the waters edge and about 1.6 miles from the pad I believe) seems to be the best spot (assuming it will still be open - it was closed for the Ladee launch but has not been closed for Antares launches - its the next left after passing the main road to the pad). Another popular area I think is called the old ferry landing (its a little further south and about 2 miles from the pad I believe).
There are many videos on YouTube taken from the Arbuckle location to give you an idea of the view. I attached a couple of general (not significantly zoomed) photos I took several years ago of the Arbuckle location to give you some idea of the view and area. Just as an example of the videos from that location, I previously posted a couple of the videos I have taken of Antares launches (with varying lenses from 250mm-420mm) from Arbuckle (including unfortunately an up close view of the explosion) on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3Sidtyet6pxt6os2uRlPQ (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3Sidtyet6pxt6os2uRlPQ)
I'm hoping we get an actual static fire date. Nothing yet.Any news?
Just FYI, as many here are probably aware, if you want a public viewing location as close as you can be to the pad and with an unobstructed view (and closer than I believe you were and much closer than the Chincoteague causeway; it's also closer than the VIP/press area), the end of Arbuckle Neck Rd (at the waters edge and about 1.6 miles from the pad I believe) seems to be the best spot (assuming it will still be open - it was closed for the Ladee launch but has not been closed for Antares launches - its the next left after passing the main road to the pad). Another popular area I think is called the old ferry landing (its a little further south and about 2 miles from the pad I believe).
There are many videos on YouTube taken from the Arbuckle location to give you an idea of the view. I attached a couple of general (not significantly zoomed) photos I took several years ago of the Arbuckle location to give you some idea of the view and area. Just as an example of the videos from that location, I previously posted a couple of the videos I have taken of Antares launches (with varying lenses from 250mm-420mm) from Arbuckle (including unfortunately an up close view of the explosion) on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3Sidtyet6pxt6os2uRlPQ (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3Sidtyet6pxt6os2uRlPQ)
Orbital ATK's Steinmeyer says Antares completed wet-dress Sun., planning hot-fire Tuesday (today?). NASA/CRS launch expected early July.Guessing Tuesday means next week, but not sure. It's been a while, but I heard there would be a lengthy period (week and a half or so) between the wet-dress and the hot-fire for data review.
flatoday_jdean: As a follow-up, Orbital ATK currently planning that Antares hot-fire next Tuesday at MARS/Wallops. #SpaceCongress2016
https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean/status/735193039694626816
@NASA_Wallops
Antares hot fire test, upgraded dual RD-181 rocket engines 5/31, window 5-8:15pm Pad-0A by @OrbitalATK @NASAGoddard
https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/735479741424279552
SFN is showing a launch time of 16:49 UTC (12:49 pm Eastern) on July 6.
Quote@NASA_Wallops
Antares hot fire test, upgraded dual RD-181 rocket engines 5/31, window 5-8:15pm Pad-0A by @OrbitalATK @NASAGoddard
https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/735479741424279552
Hot Fire May 31 between 5pm and 8:15pm
As I remember this static fire is not the flight (July OA-5) engines nor stage, correct?
As I remember this static fire is not the flight (July OA-5) engines nor stage, correct?
This is the flight hardware for OA-7
They have to do the qualification firing for both the pad and the first stage. For safety reasons they probably won't have an upper stage, much less payload. If everything goes according to plan, they have the whole stack for OA-5 almost ready. If not, they would obviously delay. But they have a chance of going faster.As I remember this static fire is not the flight (July OA-5) engines nor stage, correct?
This is the flight hardware for OA-7
What is the logic for doing a static fire now with the OA-7 hardware? Why not use OA-5? The payload isn't mated, so it isn't at risk. If there's a RUD with OA-7's hardware today, OA-5 gets delayed until they figure out why. If it was OA-5 that had the RUD, they would be equally delayed while upgrading OA-7 to avoid whatever flaw caused the failure and use OA-7 to launch the Cygnus and cargo of OA-5.
Seems strange not to use the rocket that's going to fly next for this test.
If there's a RUD with OA-7's hardware today, OA-5 gets delayed until they figure out why.The opposite: if the test succeeds in validating the integrated set (hardware / software / interfaces), they've saved time with separate, parallel processing flows rather than doing the work in serial. If you use the OA-5 hardware for this test, you can't make early July even if the test succeeds.
The Orbital ATK Antares hot fire test has been completed. Data review in progress. #antares
NASA WFF just posted on FB and Twitter.No RUD is good start.
https://www.facebook.com/NASAWFF/photos/a.220437381319704.76221.191575794205863/1286405071389591/?type=3&theater
https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/737761015836839940QuoteThe Orbital ATK Antares hot fire test has been completed. Data review in progress. #antares
Listening in on the test net, things sounded very nominal.
Exhaust plume looks a bit rich for an ORSC engine. By chance were they increasing the deluge significantly into the trench?Probably so given that the flame trench had to take the full brunt for nearly 30 seconds. Much longer than during a regular launch.
Has anyone gleaned the dedication name of OA-5's Cygnus yet?
If you are of the Few that can ask questions during the press conference, that's the first to ask. It'll throw them off, expecting some dark question about Antares. :)
Has anyone gleaned the dedication name of OA-5's Cygnus yet?
If you are of the Few that can ask questions during the press conference, that's the first to ask. It'll throw them off, expecting some dark question about Antares. :)
Earlier in the thread, I guessed "S.S. Neil Armstrong" because Armstrong was an extremely famous astronaut.
Has anyone gleaned the dedication name of OA-5's Cygnus yet?
If you are of the Few that can ask questions during the press conference, that's the first to ask. It'll throw them off, expecting some dark question about Antares. :)
Earlier in the thread, I guessed "S.S. Neil Armstrong" because Armstrong was an extremely famous astronaut.
He was also one of the best test pilots in history, and a true commander.
Has anyone gleaned the dedication name of OA-5's Cygnus yet?
If you are of the Few that can ask questions during the press conference, that's the first to ask. It'll throw them off, expecting some dark question about Antares. :)
Earlier in the thread, I guessed "S.S. Neil Armstrong" because Armstrong was an extremely famous astronaut.
He was also one of the best test pilots in history, and a true commander.
So, do you think Armstrong could be a good candidate for the namesake of OA-5?
https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/740190436141223936
OA-5 #Cygnus will be named after former @NASA #astronaut and naval officer Alan Poindexter #OA5
https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/740190436141223936
OA-5 #Cygnus will be named after former @NASA #astronaut and naval officer Alan Poindexter #OA5
Anyone know if Poindexter had any professional connections with Orbital ATK?
Today was the spacecraft media event day at Wallops, as noted a few posts earlier (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39101.msg1544347#msg1544347); I believe Orbital ATK made this announcement on the same media days for the OA-4 and OA-6 spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center.https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/740190436141223936
OA-5 #Cygnus will be named after former @NASA #astronaut and naval officer Alan Poindexter #OA5
Makes me wonder if someone at Orbital ATK happens to lurk on NSF and decided to tweet the answer to us and the general public--that was a rather quick resolution. :)
Local reporters get a chance to see #Cygnus up close before we begin fueling for the OA-5 mission. #OA5
With the next Soyuz launch being pushed to July 7, can we expect any effect on the Antares launch? Does the ISS often receive visiting vehicles within such a short time frame?
Sorry if these are newbie questions! :)
If anything, due to the timing of getting IDA out of the trunk and onto the PMA, I'm expecting Dragon CRS-9 to leapfrog Cygnus OA-5 and fly first. I could be wrong, though...
If anything, due to the timing of getting IDA out of the trunk and onto the PMA, I'm expecting Dragon CRS-9 to leapfrog Cygnus OA-5 and fly first. I could be wrong, though...
NASA ISS program manager Kirk Shireman says next Cygnus flight, on Antares, planned for “late August.” #ISSRDC
Launch time for August 22 is 5:59 pm Eastern (21:59 UTC) per SFN.
The information is valid as currently filed with NASA Wallops Flight Facility. As always this is subject to changeLaunch time for August 22 is 5:59 pm Eastern (21:59 UTC) per SFN.
Can this be corroborated from somewhere besides SFN? I'm not questioning their information, just wondering if this is "official" information. Trying to make plans to come down for this launch.
The information is valid as currently filed with NASA Wallops Flight Facility. As always this is subject to changeLaunch time for August 22 is 5:59 pm Eastern (21:59 UTC) per SFN.
Can this be corroborated from somewhere besides SFN? I'm not questioning their information, just wondering if this is "official" information. Trying to make plans to come down for this launch.
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/757577518677303296
[Bill] Gerst[enmeier]: still planning next Antares/Cygnus launch to ISS for Aug 22, but “some challenges” to overcome to meet that date.
https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean/status/763366112784515081
Orbital ATK says 1st launch of ISS cargo from Wallops on redesigned Antares rocket pushed back about month to 2nd half of Sept.
Due to a variety of interrelated factors, including the company’s continuing processing, inspection and testing of the flight vehicle at Wallops Island, and NASA’s scheduling of crew activities on the International Space Station in preparation for upcoming cargo and crew launches, Orbital ATK is currently working with NASA to target a window in the second half of September for the launch of the OA-5 mission. A more specific launch date will be identified in the coming weeks.
So, what was the deal with the $400M?Off topic for this thread, but OA has a $2.3B 10-year contract to manufacture small-caliber ammunition for the US Army in Lake City, Missouri. The contract pricing assumed cost improvements that were not achieved, and their financial systems didn't let them know about the problem. The market panic wasn't so much about losing $400M on the contract as the fact that they didn't know about the forecast loss for over a year, which is a massive breakdown in financial controls.
Due to a variety of unusual circumstances, material errors in cost estimating and tracking occurred as the contract ramped up in 2014, but were obscured until this intensive review brought it to light.
Quotehttps://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean/status/763366112784515081
Orbital ATK says 1st launch of ISS cargo from Wallops on redesigned Antares rocket pushed back about month to 2nd half of Sept.
Official update from Orbital ATK:
http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA5-Mission-Page/default.aspx?prid=92QuoteDue to a variety of interrelated factors, including the company’s continuing processing, inspection and testing of the flight vehicle at Wallops Island, and NASA’s scheduling of crew activities on the International Space Station in preparation for upcoming cargo and crew launches, Orbital ATK is currently working with NASA to target a window in the second half of September for the launch of the OA-5 mission. A more specific launch date will be identified in the coming weeks.
Date | Window Open (Eastern) (5 Minute Duration) |
10/09/2016 | 22:47 |
10/10/2016 | 22:24 |
10/11/2016 | 22:02 |
10/12/2016 | 21:36 |
10/13/2016 | 21:13 |
If launch is still scheduled for October 9 EDT/October 10 UTC,
then shouldn't there be news very soon regarding the integration of the Cygnus with its Antares?
(Cygnus was transferred to the fueling facility several days ago, and mating Cygnus with Antares in the HIF appears to be the next step in the process.)
When will they roll the rocket out to the pad (it's not already out there, is it??)? Will they delay rolling it out if the forecast is calling for high winds? In other words, if they need to wait until the storm passes before rolling out, how long after they roll out before they can possibly launch?
http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA5-Mission-Page/default.aspx?prid=180
Mission Update - October 4, 2016
NASA and Orbital ATK successfully completed a pre-launch Flight Readiness Review (FRR) and established a targeted launch date of October 13 for the OA-5 cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. In preparation for the mission, final integration of the company’s Cygnus spacecraft and Antares rocket is now underway, with roll out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad 0A anticipated to take place on October 11.
For an October 13 launch, liftoff is scheduled at 9:13 p.m. EDT and will be visible along the East Coast depending on atmospheric conditions. This schedule is subject to completion of all remaining pre-launch integration and testing activities and acceptable weather conditions prior to and during launch operations.
From the update thread, rollout is planned for October 11. Matthew should be long gone (probably extratropical and off Canada) by then.That will teach me to make statements about where a hurricane will be in a week's time... I'll just step out quietly now.
Orbital usually posts a Google Earth KML file for the launch trajectory, but haven't seen one yet. Anyone else?When Antares last flew, it was "Orbital". Now it is "Orbital ATK". We may see differences in information availability. The new company seems to me to be less informative than the old, but it might yet prove me wrong.
#Cygnus is ready to go! Mate to #Antares is scheduled for later today. #OA5https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/785109911462154244
Any info, how many of Spire's Lemur cubesats are on this launch?
<snip>
Oct. 11, 2016
MEDIA ADVISORY: M16-119
Atlantic Storm System Delays NASA Resupply Launch to Space Station
NASA and its partner Orbital ATK have postponed the launch of the company’s next commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station to no earlier than Sunday, Oct. 16, as the agency prepares for Tropical Storm Nicole at its tracking site in Bermuda.
A Sunday launch would occur at 8:03 p.m. EDT from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, with a five-minute window. The launch will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning at 7 p.m. The date of the arrival of the Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft to the space station is to be determined.
<snip>
If launch occurs on Sunday, October 16 (Monday, October 17 UTC), when is capture and berthing?7:20am EDT for capture on October 19. NASA TV coverage starts at 6 am. Berthing at 8:45 am EDT with coverage starting at 8:30am EDT.
On the 19th? 20th?<snip>
Oct. 11, 2016
MEDIA ADVISORY: M16-119
Atlantic Storm System Delays NASA Resupply Launch to Space Station
NASA and its partner Orbital ATK have postponed the launch of the company’s next commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station to no earlier than Sunday, Oct. 16, as the agency prepares for Tropical Storm Nicole at its tracking site in Bermuda.
A Sunday launch would occur at 8:03 p.m. EDT from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, with a five-minute window. The launch will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning at 7 p.m. The date of the arrival of the Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft to the space station is to be determined.
<snip>
No updates from Bermuda after the storm. Is no news good news?
No updates from Bermuda after the storm. Is no news good news?NASA posted this blog update: http://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2016/10/14/update-on-bermuda-tracking-station/?linkId=29951743
The delay means the International Space Station crew will not receive the Cygnus supply ship mounted atop the Antares rocket until Sunday, after three new residents dock with the orbiting laboratory Friday aboard the Soyuz MS-02 spaceship.
Can someone please point me to a webcast with countdown net audio? Is it available? I'd like to have something open beside NASA TV. Thanks.
Great ISS pass tonight over DC & Wallops. Anyone know where to look for Cygnus around this time? Does it trail or lead the ISS? Thanks.
I don't know about South Korea, but I can tell you that Yuzhnoe did the blueprints for the SCE-200 (RD-810) and the YF-100 (RD-801). Since they only sold the blueprints, but no methods nor metallurgy, the Indians and Chinese had to develop everything up to the certification program.Congratulations to Orbital ATK, NPO Energomash, KB Yuzhnoe, Wallops and the Range. Nominal debut and another star added tot he RD-170 legacy.
BTW, why is that now press kits lack the intended orbital parameters?
That marks at least 3 nations' access to space being mainly supported by the descendants of Valentin Glushko's stage combustion kerolox rocket engines. He probably would have never thought about it!
(Partly OT: are the new kerolox engines by India and South Korea linked to the RD-170/120 families?)
Great ISS pass tonight over DC & Wallops. Anyone know where to look for Cygnus around this time? Does it trail or lead the ISS? Thanks.
Should include SS Poindexter here:
https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/
2016-062A and B have to be Cygnus and its upper stage. Might be able to see it on Stellarium but I'm not home now to try.
Did the flame tail look more red to anyone else? I was watching and I felt the engines were much more red/orange than usual for an LOX/RP1 rocket, and other people I've talked to who saw it from around the DC area said it looked very red.
I believe the engines are supposed to be throttled back for launch, would that affect the color of the flame tail?
41818 and 41819 on heavens-above.com
The ISS is flying over Jacksonville tomorrow evening at 7:17pm EDT, but Cygnus may already be docked by then! I will take a look.Cygnus capture and berthing isn't until Sunday. It has to loiter in a parking orbit until the Soyuz MS-02 has docked.
More recently in mid-October, the company successfully launched our first re-engined Antares rocket for the OA V commercial resupply services mission to the international space station for NASA. The Antares performance was flawless with actual payload capacity somewhat higher than predicted.http://seekingalpha.com/article/4021177-orbital-atks-oa-ceo-dave-thompson-q3-2016-results-earnings-call-transcript
Chris Gebhardt has some details on the post-undocking plan in his recently published article.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/11/cygnus-oa-5-station-one-month-mission/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/11/cygnus-oa-5-station-one-month-mission/)
Orbital ATK's OA-5 Mission Begins Next Phase, Performing Experiments in Space
The “S.S. Alan Poindexter” Cygnus Departs International Space Station After Another Successful Delivery and Removal of Critical Cargo
Next Phase of Mission Marks Second Time Cygnus Used as a Science Platform
Dulles, Virginia 21 November 2016 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, today announced that its Cygnus™ spacecraft successfully unberthed from the International Space Station, starting the second phase of its mission before it reenters Earth’s atmosphere. Orbiting on its own, free of the ISS, the “S.S. Alan Poindexter” Cygnus will conduct two secondary mission objectives as part of its flight program: the Saffire-II payload experiment and the deployment of CubeSats to enhance weather forecasting capabilities. This is the second time Orbital ATK will use a Cygnus spacecraft as a platform for conducting science experiments in space.
“Cygnus had a successful, month-long stay at the International Space Station, delivering critical cargo to the astronauts,” said Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK’s Space Systems Group. “Now, we get another opportunity to showcase this unique spacecraft’s expanded capabilities beyond its core cargo delivery function. To use Cygnus yet again as a research platform demonstrates a versatility and flexibility that we are proud to offer to our customers.”
Cygnus departed from the International Space Station at 8:22 a.m. EST on November 21, completing a 29 day stay at the orbiting laboratory. The mission, known as OA-5, began on October 17, 2016 when Cygnus launched aboard an upgraded Antares rocket from NASA Wallops Flight Facility, marking Orbital ATK’s return to flight operations in eastern Virginia. Upon arrival at the station, Cygnus delivered 5,300 pounds (2,400 kilograms) of cargo and science experiments to the astronauts. The Expedition 50 crew members loaded the cargo module with approximately 2,469 pounds (1,120 kilograms) of items for disposal prior to Cygnus’ departure.
The Spacecraft Fire Experiment-II (Saffire-II), which was developed at NASA’s Glenn Research Center and funded by NASA’s Advanced Exploration Systems Division, is the second in a series of tests to study the behavior of large-scale fires in microgravity. Orbital ATK engineers will remotely conduct this experiment from the ground once Cygnus departs the International Space Station. The experiment will intentionally ignite nine different experimental material samples to help investigators better understand flammability of these materials in a microgravity environment. All data obtained from this experiment will be downloaded via telemetry.
Next, the “S.S. Alan Poindexter” will use a NanoRacks deployer to place several CubeSats into orbit to conduct meteorological research. The OA-5 mission is slated to end on November 27 when Cygnus is scheduled for a safe, destructive reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
The Nanoracks announcement (http://nanoracks.com/cygnus-berthed-with-external-cubesat-deployer/) says: "We anticipate Cygnus going into a higher orbit, pending nominal operations, that will enable the deployment of several CubeSats from the NanoRacks Cygnus External Deployer."
but when will this orbit raising occur and will it be to 445 km, which is about 39 km above the current altitude of the ISS (http://www.heavens-above.com/IssHeight.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT)?
Some simple calculations suggest that when the nanosats' orbits decay back to the altitude of the ISS in a couple of years there will be some pretty interesting dynamics. That will be very interesting to watch.
The Nanoracks announcement (http://nanoracks.com/cygnus-berthed-with-external-cubesat-deployer/) says: "We anticipate Cygnus going into a higher orbit, pending nominal operations, that will enable the deployment of several CubeSats from the NanoRacks Cygnus External Deployer."
but when will this orbit raising occur and will it be to 445 km, which is about 39 km above the current altitude of the ISS (http://www.heavens-above.com/IssHeight.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT)?
Some simple calculations suggest that when the nanosats' orbits decay back to the altitude of the ISS in a couple of years there will be some pretty interesting dynamics. That will be very interesting to watch.
If the orbit is 39 km above ISS, maybe that would be enough for the nanosats to have orbital precession at a different rate than the ISS, so they will no longer be in the same orbital plane in a few years.
The NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer – External (NRCSD-E) deploy is planned November 25, at which time the Cygnus will be 100 km above the ISS, this will be the the first time NRCSDs deploy above the ISS. A total of 4 LEMUR-2 satellites will deploy from the Cygnus vehicle. The NanoRacks-LEMUR-2 satellites are part of a remote sensing satellite constellation that proves global ship tracking and weather monitoring.
When are the nanosats to be released?
It would make sense if NASA limited the pre-deployment orbit raising of Cygnus to just this 5 km.
Cygnus is now reported by N2YO to be way above the ISS
Perigee: 502.6 km
Apogee: 511.2 km
What's going on?
Cubesat deploying ;)
https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/802258285650968578
The mission, which has been approved by NASA, is the first of its kind to deploy satellites into a higher orbit after departing from the ISS.
The altitude boost provided by Cygnus to approximately 500km increases the on-orbit lifespan of the Spire’s LEMUR-2 satellites from about 9 months in a typical ISS deployment to at least 2 years. That amount of time is just inside a CubeSat “goldilocks” zone where their long-term usefulness and orbital life are in near-equilibrium.
The requirement is to deorbit within 25 years. Since natural decay will occur from 500 km within 5 years, there is no need for a deorbit system for these satellites.Do you have anything to back that up?