Author: Steven Siceloff

Countdown Running Smoothly, Forecast 75 Percent ‘Go’

The countdown is on and running smoothly at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops, Va. ahead of this morning’s launch of the Orbital Sciences Cygnus spacecraft on an Antares rocket. Continuous coverage on this NASA Launch Blog begins at 10:15 a.m. leading up to the 10:50 a.m. liftoff.

The weather forecast for today’s launch opportunity calls for a 75 percent chance of acceptable conditions at Wallops Flight Facility at launch time. The concern is for low clouds.

Orbital Sciences designed this logo for the launch of its Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft. The design shows the rocket and the Cygnus spacecraft, along with the International Space Station. It also shows the Virginia launch site’s location with a star on a map.

G110228-002 Antares-ORB-D1 Mission Patch

L-1 at Wallops, Blog Begins at 10:15 A.M. Wednesday

We are one day from the launch of an Orbital Sciences Antares rocket on a mission to demonstrate cargo delivery to the International Space Station with the company’s Cygnus spacecraft. Launch time is 10:50 a.m. EDT from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Our coverage of the countdown begins at 10:15 a.m. EDT. You can find out more about the Antares rocket here and the Cygnus spacecraft here.

Here’s what Pad 0A looks like today with the Antares in place, courtesy of NASA photographer Bill Ingalls:

Antares Cygnus Cargo Resupply

 

Launch Team Gives “Go” for Sept. 18, 10:50 a.m. EDT

Managers for Orbital Sciences Corp. and NASA gave a “go” to proceed toward the Wednesday, Sept. 18, launch of Orbital’s demonstration resupply mission to the International Space Station, pending the outcome of a Wallops Range meeting Tuesday. Orbital is targeting a 10:50 a.m. EDT launch from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia. The NASA Launch Blog will begin continuous countdown coverage at 10:15 a.m.

There is a 75 percent chance of favorable weather at the time of launch. Low clouds below 6,000 feet are the primary concern for a weather violation. 

Launch Postponed to Wed., 10:50 a.m to 11:05 a.m. EDT

Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., has confirmed it will postpone by at least 24 hours the launch of its Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on a demonstration mission to the International Space Station from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia. The new launch window is targeted for Wednesday, Sept. 18 between 10:50 to 11:05 a.m. EDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A at Wallops. Rendezvous with the space station remains scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 22.

The postponement is due to a combination of Friday’s poor weather, which delayed roll-out of Antares to the launch pad, and a technical issue identified during a combined systems test held Friday night involving communications between ground equipment and the rocket’s flight computer. The problem has been identified and corrected. The teams are working to understand why the problem occurred.

For the latest information about the launch and mission, and updated briefing and NASA Television coverage times, visit: www.nasa.gov/orbital.

Antares-Cygnus Rollout

antares_rollout2

The Orbital Sciences Antares rocket carrying the company’s Cygnus spacecraft stands at Pad 0A at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Friday. Launch remains on track for Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 11:16 a.m. EDT. Cygnus will deliver about 1,300 pounds of cargo, including food and clothing, to the Expedition 37 crew aboard the International Space Station. The astronauts on the station will capture and install the spacecraft Sept. 22 using the station’s robotic arm. The NASA Launch Blog will begin continuous coverage of the countdown and liftoff beginning at 10:45 a.m. on launch day.