Antares rolled out to Wallops launch pad
Posted: Tue, Oct 2, 2012, 6:04 AM ET (1004 GMT)
Orbital Sciences Corporation formally began operations at Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Monday by rolling out an Antares rocket stage to the launch pad. the Antares first stage will be used for tests on the launch pad, including a hot-fire test of the rocket's AJ26 rocket engines in four to five weeks. That test will be followed in about a month by the first Antares launch, carrying a demonstration payload. Orbital developed the Antares rocket and the Cygnus spacecraft to transport cargo to the International Space Station under a COTS award from NASA; Orbital also has a contract for eight cargo missions to the ISS. Handover of the new launch pad at MARS, located on Wallops Island, Virginia, had been delayed by months in order to complete work on the new launch facility.
Orbital Sciences Corporation formally began operations at Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Monday by rolling out an Antares rocket stage to the launch pad. the Antares first stage will be used for tests on the launch pad, including a hot-fire test of the rocket's AJ26 rocket engines in four to five weeks. That test will be followed in about a month by the first Antares launch, carrying a demonstration payload. Orbital developed the Antares rocket and the Cygnus spacecraft to transport cargo to the International Space Station under a COTS award from NASA; Orbital also has a contract for eight cargo missions to the ISS. Handover of the new launch pad at MARS, located on Wallops Island, Virginia, had been delayed by months in order to complete work on the new launch facility.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, February 24
Gilmour Space announces launch window for Australia’s first sovereign orbital rocket
Gilmour Space — 5:11 am ET (1011 GMT) Gilmour Space Sets Mid-March Launch Window
Space and Defense — 5:11 am ET (1011 GMT) Gilmour Space moves company to launch campaign mode
InnovationAus.com — 5:10 am ET (1010 GMT) Gilmour Space’s first rocket launch from Queensland is just weeks away
Startup Daily — 5:10 am ET (1010 GMT) Australia’s first sovereign orbital rocket to take flight
InDaily (Australia) — 5:10 am ET (1010 GMT) |
