The next launch attempt for Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket carrying its Cygnus cargo spacecraft is scheduled for 6:22 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Oct. 28 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. There is a 10 minute launch window. Live coverage on NASA TV will begin at 5:30 p.m. EDT.
Monday’s launch attempt was scrubbed because of a boat down range in the trajectory Antares would have flown had it lifted off.
At last report, the weather forecast for Oct. 28 was 95-percent favorable.
Arrival of the Cygnus spacecraft at the International Space Station would occur Nov. 2.
With about 20 minutes until Antares’ scheduled 6:45:04 p.m. EDT liftoff, the countdown is progressing smoothly. There are no technical concerns with the rocket or spacecraft being worked. The weather for this evening’s launch is currently 100-percent favorable.
Orbital Science Corp.’s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft will launch from the Mid-Atlantic Spaceport’s Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Live launch coverage is currently airing on NASA TV.
The launch of Orbital’s CRS-3 Commercial Resupply Services mission is the third commercial resupply flight by a Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station, and the first night launch of an Antares rocket. Cygnus will transport some 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments to the orbiting laboratory. If CRS-3 launches as planned, it will arrive at the station Sunday, Nov. 2.
With less than an hour until Antares’ scheduled 6:45 p.m. EDT liftoff, the countdown is progressing smoothly. There are no technical concerns with the rocket or spacecraft being worked. The weather for this evening’s launch is currently 100-percent favorable.
Antares rocket prepares for launch the evening of Monday, Oct. 27, 2014. Credit: NASA
Orbital Science Corp.’s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft will launch from the Mid-Atlantic Spaceport’s Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Live launch coverage is currently airing on NASA TV.
The launch of Orbital’s CRS-3 Commercial Resupply Services mission is the third commercial resupply flight by a Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station, and the first night launch of an Antares rocket. Cygnus will transport some 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments to the orbiting laboratory.
NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport are set to support the launch of Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft at 6:45 p.m. EDT today, Oct. 27. Launch coverage on NASA TV will begin at 5:45 p.m.
The Antares rocket at its launch pad on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 25. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Because this evening’s Antares launch occurs relatively shortly after sunset, NASA has received a number of questions on social media about whether Orbital’s rocket will catch up to sunlight once it gains enough altitude.
Antares is expected to be sunlit, and therefore brighter than it otherwise would be. The second stage burn will be in daylight, which should make for a very visible plume. Note that the second stage ignition for CRS-3 occurs considerably earlier than previous Antares flights, so the burn will occur much higher over the horizon. (More information about launch viewing opportunities.)
The Antares rocket will carry Orbital’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft, loaded with some 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments, to the International Space Station. CRS-3 (short for “Commercial Resupply Services”) will be the fourth Cygnus flight, including a demonstration flight in 2013, and the first night launch of an Antares rocket.
The countdown is progressing smoothly today for the launch of Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Antares rocket, with the Cygnus cargo spacecraft on top. There are no technical concerns with the rocket or spacecraft being worked. The weather for this evening’s launch is predicted to be 99-percent favorable.
Liftoff is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. EDT from the Mid-Atlantic Spaceport’s Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Antares at its launch pad on Oct. 27, 2014. Credit: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility
Live coverage of the launch on NASA TV will begin at 5:45 p.m. here and on this blog.
Cygnus is loaded with about 5,000 pounds of science investigations, food, supplies and hardware for the space station and its crew.
A launch this evening will result in Cygnus catching up to the space station on Sunday, Nov. 2. Cygnus will be grappled at approximately 4:58 a.m. by NASA crew members Reid Wiseman and Barry “Butch” Wilmore. Cygnus will be attached to the Earth-facing port of the station’s Harmony node and will remain in place approximately one month. It is scheduled depart the space station on Dec. 3.
This is Orbital’s third mission to the International Space Station under its Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA.
Cygnus spacecraft at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, prior to being mated to the Antares rocket. Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.
NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport are set to support the launch of Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft at 6:45 p.m. EDT today, Oct. 27. Launch coverage on NASA TV will begin at 5:45 p.m.
The two-stage, 13-story-tall Antares utilizes a liquid-fueled first stage powered by two Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ26 engines and a solid motor ATK CASTOR 30XL upper stage to boost Cygnus into orbit. The powered launch sequence lasts about nine-and-a-half minutes from liftoff through the separation of Cygnus from the launch vehicle. This mission, CRS-3, is the first to use the larger, more powerful CASTOR 30XL second stage motor.
CRS-3 will carry about 5,050 pounds (2,290 kilograms) of cargo, the heaviest load yet delivered by a Cygnus to the International Space Station. (CRS-2, which launched in July, held 3,293 pounds of cargo.)
CRS-3 will launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad 0A. The spaceport, “MARS” for short, is a commercial launch site operated in partnership with NASA.
Antares at its launch pad on Oct. 27, 2014. Credit: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility
The four poles immediately surrounding the rocket help protect the rocket from lightning. The scaffolding to the left of the rocket in this view is the base of the water tower (formally the Water Deluge System), which holds some 200,000 gallons of freshwater for cooling and noise suppression purposes.
In the background, the white building with an American flag painted on its left bay is the Horizontal Integration Facility, roughly a mile away from the launch pad. The HIF is where the Cygnus is mated with the Antares rocket prior to being rolled out to the pad.
NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport are set to support the launch of Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket at 6:45 p.m. EDT today, Oct. 27. Launch coverage on NASA TV will begin at 5:45 p.m.
The launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions of the United States.
The Antares launch scheduled Oct. 27 may be visible to residents in the mid-Atlantic, weather permitting. Credit: NASA/Wallops Mission Planning LabWhat the Antares launch may look like from Fells Point in Baltimore, Maryland. Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.Viewing the launch across the tidal basin from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.Viewing from River Road in North Bergen, New Jersey, looking south. Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.
More viewing maps from Orbital Sciences Corp. are available here.
Those in the Mid-Atlantic and surrounding regions may be able to see an overhead pass of the International Space Station a few minutes after the Antares’ scheduled launch. At Wallops Island, Virginia, the station will become visible near the northwest horizon at 6:49 p.m. EDT and arc almost directly overhead before passing out of view about six minutes later near the southeast horizon. Visit NASA’s Spot the Station website for viewing information from additional locations.
The Antares rocket will carry Orbital’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft, loaded with some 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments, to the International Space Station. CRS-3 (short for “Commercial Resupply Services”) will be the fourth Cygnus flight, including a demonstration flight in 2013, and the first night launch of an Antares rocket.
Orbital Science Corp.’s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft are scheduled to launch today, Oct. 27, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Liftoff of the CRS-3 mission is scheduled for no earlier than 6:45 p.m. EDT.
Orbital Science Corp.’s Antares rocket with Cygnus cargo spacecraft aboard, the morning of Oct. 27. Credit: NASA’s Wallops Flight FacilityA view of the Cygnus spacecraft (enclosed in its fairing) atop the Antares rocket on the evening of Sunday, Oct. 26. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
This is the third commercial resupply flight by a Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station, and the first night launch of an Antares rocket. Cygnus will transport some 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments to the orbiting laboratory.
