Author: Rob Garner

At a Launch Readiness Review Sunday, Oct. 26, managers for Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Virginia, and NASA gave a “go” to proceed toward the Monday, Oct. 27, launch of the Orbital CRS-3 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. Orbital is targeting a 6:45 p.m. EDT launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. NASA Television coverage of the launch will begin at 5:45 p.m.

There is a 98 percent chance of favorable weather at the time of launch.

NASA TV will broadcast two news briefings today from the Wallops Visitors Center. A prelaunch status briefing will be held at 1 p.m. followed by a preview of the mission’s science cargo at 2 p.m. The briefings will be carried live on NASA TV.

NASA will take questions from social media users in advance of and during the briefing using the hashtag #AskNASA. To learn more about all the ways to connect and collaborate with NASA, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/connect.

› How to View the CRS-3 Launch
› More launch information and TV coverage details
› NASA’s Orbital website
› Related images on Flickr

The launch of Orbital Sciences Corp.’s CRS-3 Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station is on schedule for launch aboard an Antares rocket no earlier than 6:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 27, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

The latest weather forecast remains at 98-percent favorable.

A number of activities are planned for Sunday, Oct. 26, leading up to launch day:

• Launch Readiness Review, 10 a.m. to noon EDT
• Pre-launch Briefing, 1 p.m. EDT (will air on NASA TV)
• Science Briefing, 2 p.m. EDT (will air on NASA TV)

› How to View the CRS-3 Launch
› More launch information and TV coverage details
› NASA’s Orbital website
› Related images on Flickr

Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft aboard, was raised into vertical position at launch Pad-0A, early on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The launch of Orbital’s CRS-3 Commercial Resupply Services mission is scheduled for no earlier than 6:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 27, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops. The latest forecast puts weather at 98-percent “go,” with the main concern being an extremely low chance of thick clouds.

The Antares will launch with the Cygnus spacecraft filled with more than 5,000 pounds of supplies for the International Space Station, including science experiments, experiment hardware, spare parts, and crew provisions. The Orbital-3 mission is Orbital Sciences’ third contracted cargo delivery flight to the space station for NASA.

This mission is the third of eight Orbital flights NASA contracted with the company to resupply the space station, and the fourth trip by a Cygnus spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory.

› Related images on Flickr
› How to View the CRS-3 Launch
› More information and TV coverage details
› NASA’s Orbital website

At roughly 4:45 p.m. Friday evening, the Antares rocket loaded with Orbital Science Corp.’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft began its journey from the Horizontal Integration Facility at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to its launch pad, about a mile away.

› More roll-out images on Flickr

The launch of Orbital Sciences Corp.’s CRS-3 Commercial Resupply Services mission is scheduled for no earlier than 6:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 27, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops.

This mission is the third of eight Orbital flights NASA contracted with the company to resupply the space station, and the fourth trip by a Cygnus spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory.

› How to View the CRS-3 Launch
› More information and TV coverage details
› NASA’s Orbital website