Both Cygnus solar arrays have deployed successfully and rotated into correct alignment. Once Cygnus moves into sunlight (the spacecraft is currently in Earth’s shadow), the arrays are expected to provide necessary power.
The deployment of Cygnus cargo spacecraft solar arrays generally occurs about 90 minutes after launch and takes about 10 minutes to complete.
Computer model of Cygnus spacecraft with solar arrays deployed. Credit: NASA TV
A live post-launch press conference from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility near Chincoteague, Virginia, is scheduled to air on NASA TV at 10:15 p.m. EDT.
Cygnus is loaded with about 5,100 pounds of science investigations, food, supplies and hardware for the space station and its crew.
When Cygnus arrives to the space station, on Sunday, Oct. 23, Expedition 49 Flight Engineers Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Kate Rubins of NASA will grapple the spacecraft. They will use the space station’s robotic arm to take hold of the Cygnus, dubbed the S.S. Alan Poindexter. After Cygnus’ capture, ground controllers will command the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station’s Unity module.
The Cygnus spacecraft will spend about 5 weeks attached to the space station. Cygnus will remain at the space station until November, when the spacecraft will depart the station and initiate the second spacecraft fire safety investigation, Saffire-II, and then dispose of approximately several tons of trash during its fiery reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
On Oct. 17, 2016, Orbital ATK launched its Cygnus cargo spacecraft atop an Antares rocket to the International Space Station. The spacecraft launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. This is the sixth cargo mission to the International Space Station for Orbital ATK.
View of launch from helicopter. Photo Credit: (NASA Wallops/Patrick Black)Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016 at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK’s sixth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station is delivering over 5,100 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Liftoff of Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft occurred at 7:45 p.m. EDT this evening, Oct. 17, 2016, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
An hour and a half after launch, commands will be given to deploy the spacecraft’s UltraFlex solar arrays.
Launch coverage will continue on NASA TV at https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv until shortly after spacecraft separation then resume at about 9:05 p.m. for solar array deployment, which is expected to last about 30 minutes.
A post-launch news conference will follow and is scheduled to begin on NASA TV at approximately 10:00 p.m.
Upcoming Milestones (Approximate Times)
7:49 p.m. Main Engine Cutoff on Antares first stage
7:49 p.m. Stage 1 Separation
7:49 p.m. Fairing Separation
7:49 p.m. Interstage Separation
7:49 p.m. Second stage ignition
7:53 p.m. Stage 2 Burnout/orbit insertion
7:54 p.m. Cygnus Separation from second stage
9:10 p.m. NASA TV Commentary resumes for Solar Array Deploy
9:15 p.m. Solar Array Deployment Begins
9:45 p.m. Solar Array Deployment Ends
9:50 p.m. Commentary ends
10:00 p.m. Post-launch news conference
Cygnus is scheduled for arrival at the International Space Station on Oct. 23, with about 5,100 pounds of supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations that will occur during the space station’s Expeditions 49 and 50.
With about 10 minutes until launch, Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft is on schedule for 7:40 p.m. EDT liftoff this evening, Oct. 17, 2016, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
Weather remains green and no issues are being worked.
Antares rocket poised for launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0-A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Oct. 17, 2016. Credit: NASA TVThis “first-sight” map indicates potential to see Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket in the minutes following its launch. Credit: Orbital ATKThis graphic depicts the maximum elevation the Antares rocket will appear above the horizon for skywatchers in the Mid-Atlantic. For example, a viewer in Pittsburg would not expect to see the rocket appear higher in the sky than five degrees above the horizon (about the width of three fingers held at arm’s length). A viewer in . Credit: Orbital ATKViewing map prepared by NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility
Live launch coverage of the Oct. 17 launch of Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0-A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore begins on NASA TVat 6:45 p.m. EDT. The International Space Station-bound craft is scheduled for liftoff at 7:40 p.m.
As of the T-minus 2 hours forecast, weather remains 100 percent favorable.
Aerial photograph showing the Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft on board, Oct. 17, 2016, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK’s sixth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver more than 5,100 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsTimelapse animation of moon rising over Antares rocket at NASA Wallops, Oct. 16, 2016. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls Download as MP4 video from NASA Flickr
The countdown for Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket, with the Cygnus cargo spacecraft on top, is progressing smoothly today. There are no technical concerns with the rocket or spacecraft and weather is 100 percent “go.”
Liftoff is scheduled to occur during a five minute window beginning at 7:40 p.m. EDT from the Mid-Atlantic Spaceport’s Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft on board, is seen on launch Pad-0A, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK’s sixth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver more than 5,100 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Cygnus is loaded with about 5,100 pounds of science investigations, food, supplies and hardware for the space station and its crew.
When Cygnus arrives to the space station, on Sunday, Oct. 23, Expedition 49 Flight Engineers Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Kate Rubins of NASA will grapple the spacecraft. They will use the space station’s robotic arm to take hold of the Cygnus, dubbed the S.S. Alan Poindexter. After Cygnus’ capture, ground controllers will command the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station’s Unity module.
The Cygnus spacecraft will spend about five weeks attached to the space station. Cygnus will remain at the space station until November, when the spacecraft will depart the station and initiate the second spacecraft fire safety investigation, Saffire-II, and then dispose of approximately several tons of trash during its fiery reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
Orbital ATK CRS-5 Countdown and Launch Highlights
The countdown uses both a range countdown clock (L Minus Clock) and a software sequencer (T Minus Clock). The launch countdown is initiated with the Range Clock at L minus 6 hours 15 minutes and is a running clock. The T Minus Clock is initiated at T minus 3 hours 10 minutes (sequencer start-up) and stops with built-in holds.
1:10 p.m. Report to stations
1:25 p.m. Open Checklist, begin countdown
3:10 p.m. Poll to Readiness for Launch Vehicle External Power On
3:55 p.m. Poll to initiate Loading Sequencer Timeline
4:00 p.m. Loading Sequencer Start
5:40 p.m. Enter into 20-minute built-in hold at T-1 hour, 30 minutes (L-2 hours)
6:00 p.m. Resume the count at T-1 hour, 30 minutes (L-1 hour, 40 minutes)
Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft teams have reported to their stations, and the formal countdown has begun. Antares is on schedule for launch tonight, Oct. 17, at 7:40 p.m. EDT, and Orbital ATK reports conditions are nominal. The Wallops Weather Office forecast (issued at L-minus 24 hours) is 95 percent go: “As our weather continues to be influenced by high pressure, we will see a great weather setup once again for the launch attempt on Monday, with only a very slight chance of thick clouds expected.”
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft on board, is seen on launch Pad-0A during sunrise, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK’s sixth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver more than 5,100 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
This “first-sight” map indicates potential to see Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket in the minutes following its launch. Credit: Orbital ATK
Viewing map prepared by NASA’s Wallops Flight FacilityLocal to the Wallops area, Arbuckleneck Road and Assateague Island have been closed to the public by area officials and will not be available for viewing the Antares rocket launch.
Additional information on public viewing locations in the Wallops-Chincoteague area is available here.
Launch of Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft is proceeding as scheduled for a 7:40 p.m. EDT liftoff this evening, Oct. 17, 2016, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
For viewers elsewhere in the Mid-Atlantic, NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility could use your help! Our talented mission planners and engineers help us develop launch visibility maps, to give you all an idea of where to look to see launches from Wallops.
Let us know where you watch the Antares launch, when it comes into view, and how high you see it in the sky. Share details and your own photos with NASA Wallops on social media (Facebook and Twitter). Your timed observations with approximate latitude-longitude (or city and state) help us refine our maps!
