Orbital ATK Sets Oct. 13 Antares Launch Date

NASA and Orbital ATK successfully completed a pre-launch Flight Readiness Review (FRR) and established a targeted launch date of Oct. 13, 2016, 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 at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore anticipated to take place on Oct. 11.

Antares rocket at night
File photo of Antares rocket from 2014. Image credit: NASA Wallops/Patrick Black

For an Oct. 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.