Orbital: Cygnus General Discussion Thread

[deruch]

Bit of a Bump...

ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/22/2017

TangoLab-1 Transfer to Cygnus (OA-8):  The crew removed TangoLab-1 from EXPRESS Rack 4, and transferred the facility to Cygnus for a short demonstration of TangoLab-1 operations in Cygnus. This is being performed as a proof of the “extended lab” concept, wherein visiting vehicles can be used as an extension of the ISS laboratory volume while attached.  TangoLab-1 is a reconfigurable general research facility designed for microgravity research and development and pilot manufacturing aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Is NASA planing for Cygnus to stay berthed to the station for longer periods in the future?

[gongora]

Is the Orbital/ATK CRS-1 contract running through OA-12 now?

[IanThePineapple]

Bit of a Bump...

ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/22/2017

TangoLab-1 Transfer to Cygnus (OA-8):  The crew removed TangoLab-1 from EXPRESS Rack 4, and transferred the facility to Cygnus for a short demonstration of TangoLab-1 operations in Cygnus. This is being performed as a proof of the “extended lab” concept, wherein visiting vehicles can be used as an extension of the ISS laboratory volume while attached.  TangoLab-1 is a reconfigurable general research facility designed for microgravity research and development and pilot manufacturing aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Is NASA planing for Cygnus to stay berthed to the station for longer periods in the future?

I don't think so, just bringing up experiments in Cygnus, doing them there (Or bringing experiments from the station into Cygnus), probably only for very short experiments.

I guess it could stay berthed to the station longer, 2 months sounds safe, but I think that since most of Cygnus is used for bringing up consumables, long-term experiments for the station itself and possibly large items (like space suits or backup hardware), there wouldn't be much room left for in-Cygnus experiments.

I wouldn't even be surprised if they did made part of Dragon or the HTVs into mini labs, maybe even Dream Chaser in the future!

We will see, though!

[Sam Ho]

Is the Orbital/ATK CRS-1 contract running through OA-12 now?

At the OA-8 launch, Frank DeMauro described OA-12 as the first CRS-2 mission.

Frank DeMauro said that OA's plan is to continue flying Cygnus on Antares, and that they currently have orders out to OA-13.

DeMauro said there are no plans to return to the Atlas 5 for the foreseeable future, as the company completes its original Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract and starts a follow-on award called CRS-2. “Our baseline plan is to continue to fly Cygnus on Antares,” he said. “We are ready to respond to our customer’s needs, if they should require something different, but for all of the rest of CRS-1 and so far for the CRS-2 missions we’re planning to do them on Antares.”

After this launch, Orbital ATK has three missions remaining on its CRS contract, OA-9, 10 and 11. No firm launch dates have been set, but DeMauro said OA-9 could launch as soon as the first quarter of 2018. OA-10 would then likely follow in the fall of 2018 and OA-11 in early 2019. DeMauro said later that NASA has ordered two Cygnus missions so far under its CRS-2 contract, OA-12 and 13.

http://spacenews.com/orbital-atk-looks-to-antares-to-handle-cargo-resupply-missions/