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Stars align for Orbital's Antares - A-One debut set for mid-April
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Mar, 2013 16:25
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#1
by
Longhorn John
on 17 Mar, 2013 16:44
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Great article. We have this launch not too long after Dragon returns. That's more like it!
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#2
by
AndrewSTS
on 17 Mar, 2013 20:52
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Really interesting article. I wonder if it's unique where the second stage ignition is after such a long coast after separation?
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#3
by
Lars_J
on 17 Mar, 2013 21:04
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Really interesting article. I wonder if it's unique where the second stage ignition is after such a long coast after separation?
Yes, that does strike me as odd.
Good article, though, and I'm really looking forward to seeing this launch. Hopefully Orbital will provide public rocket-cam footage, like SpaceX.
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#4
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 17 Mar, 2013 21:05
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Really interesting article. I wonder if it's unique where the second stage ignition is after such a long coast after separation?
Not if you are talking about solid stages - almost every launcher that use one has such a long coasting time to apogee.
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#5
by
a_langwich
on 17 Mar, 2013 21:05
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Frangible joint still used to separate payload fairing in half?
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#6
by
Lee Jay
on 17 Mar, 2013 21:06
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#7
by
Chris Bergin
on 17 Mar, 2013 21:50
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Great article. We have this launch not too long after Dragon returns. That's more like it!
Thanks very much!
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#8
by
newpylong
on 17 Mar, 2013 23:10
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Great article. Exciting times.
thanks Chris,
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#9
by
RocketmanUS
on 18 Mar, 2013 04:19
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Article says, domestically produced?
Is the 1st stage Russian design and manufactured?
The 1st stage engines are Russian with modifications from American company?
How is this rocket then domestically produced?
And there is the issue of were new engines if needed would be made?
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#10
by
Chris Bergin
on 18 Mar, 2013 14:01
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Thanks Newpylong!
Article says, domestically produced?
Is the 1st stage Russian design and manufactured?
The 1st stage engines are Russian with modifications from American company?
How is this rocket then domestically produced?
And there is the issue of were new engines if needed would be made?
We've been over this before
Sure, there's some of the core materials and engines at NK-33s - but sold and repurposed by Aerojet (US company) into the AJ-26s.
It would be nitpicking in the extreme to use that to demote it from being a US built vehicle, but I know some people will. Personally, I'm not, and neither are Orbital.
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#11
by
Lurker Steve
on 18 Mar, 2013 14:09
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It probably has more US content than your average GM or Chysler automobile.
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#12
by
RocketmanUS
on 18 Mar, 2013 15:54
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Thanks Newpylong!
Article says, domestically produced?
Is the 1st stage Russian design and manufactured?
The 1st stage engines are Russian with modifications from American company?
How is this rocket then domestically produced?
And there is the issue of were new engines if needed would be made?
We've been over this before
Sure, there's some of the core materials and engines at NK-33s - but sold and repurposed by Aerojet (US company) into the AJ-26s.
It would be nitpicking in the extreme to use that to demote it from being a US built vehicle, but I know some people will. Personally, I'm not, and neither are Orbital.
It's not nitpicking, it's fact ( I'm not being negative, if the light is green it is green , if it is red it is red ).
For COTS Orbital used the existing engines so that part was not so bad.
However when they went outside the U.S. for the 1st stage that was of poor taste. We could have done it here in the U.S. and we also needed the skilled jobs.
So were are the 1st stages parts being made, assembled?
If new engines are to be made were will they be made?
What was done was done. So for now just report on what was so any mistakes of the past can hopefully not be repeated.
It probably has more US content than your average GM or Chysler automobile.
And that is sad on so many points. Each country ( region ) should make as much of their own as reasonably possible. The U.S. already were making cars and rockets domestically and have now outsourced the work.
Yes I do want to finally see the first launch take place soon. And then the CRS after that.
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#13
by
Kabloona
on 18 Mar, 2013 16:48
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If new engines are to be made were will they be made?
From Ed Kyle's Space Launch Report:
"During the 1990s, Aerojet acquired rights to import about 46 of the engines from ND Kuznetsov Joint Stock Company Scientific-Technical Complex of Samara Russia. The engines were originally developed for the Soviet Union's N1 launch vehicle. More than 50 more NK33s are reported to remain in storage in Samara.
Aerojet negotiated a license to produce new copies in the U.S., but such production would require several years to initiate. "
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#14
by
PahTo
on 18 Mar, 2013 19:11
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Good article--thanks Chris. I too find it interesting that will be nearly two minutes between MECO and firing of the second stage (thanks for the info, GP-SST), and also that the fairing is carried for much of the coast phase.
Let's light this candle...
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#15
by
Lurker Steve
on 18 Mar, 2013 19:55
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If new engines are to be made were will they be made?
From Ed Kyle's Space Launch Report:
"During the 1990s, Aerojet acquired rights to import about 46 of the engines from ND Kuznetsov Joint Stock Company Scientific-Technical Complex of Samara Russia. The engines were originally developed for the Soviet Union's N1 launch vehicle. More than 50 more NK33s are reported to remain in storage in Samara. Aerojet negotiated a license to produce new copies in the U.S., but such production would require several years to initiate. "
Aerojet is getting NASA funding (via the SLS advanced booster work) for the AJ-26-500 development. I assume it will be done before they run out of the current supply of old NK-33 engines.
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#16
by
Robotbeat
on 18 Mar, 2013 20:07
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...
Is the 1st stage Russian design and manufactured?
...
Nope. Ukrainian. And not the entire first stage, either.
A rocket is more than the sum of its parts.
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#17
by
Lurker Steve
on 18 Mar, 2013 21:17
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On one of the links back to the original Taurus II thread, antoinee mentioned that the combined development costs for both the LV and Cygnus were around 600 million. That compares pretty favorably with the amount that SpaceX has already spent on F9 and Dragon.
The COTS demo flight will validate the fairing and the standard payload adapter. Hopefully, we will start to see some commerical customers making their way to the Antares launch manifest.
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#18
by
wolfpack
on 20 Mar, 2013 13:07
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With a mission name of A-1, I almost expect Antares to roll to the pad sporting a Heinz steak sauce bottle livery.
That being said, I'll have a steak dinner if they get this thing off next month! After all, April 18 is my birthday. What better place to spend it than the coastal plains of Virginia?
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#19
by
kevin-rf
on 20 Mar, 2013 13:25
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I'm voting for the 26th... Wonder if Antonio will toss some steaks on the flame trench for us.
