Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft is on its way to the International Space Station with about 7,400 pounds of cargo after launching at 4:01 a.m. EST Saturday from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft aboard, launched from Pad-0A, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
The spacecraft launched on an Antares 230 Rocket from the Virginia Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad 0A at Wallops on the company’s 10th cargo delivery flight, and is scheduled to arrive at the orbital laboratory Monday, Nov. 19. Expedition 57 astronauts Serena Auñón-Chancellor of NASA and Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) will use the space station’s robotic arm to grapple Cygnus about 5:20 a.m. Installation coverage will begin at 4 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
Northrop Grumman has confirmed that the Cygnus’ two solar arrays are deployed and receiving power.
File photo of a Cygnus spacecraft with its solar arrays deployed. This Cygnus spacecraft with its cymbal-like UltraFlex solar arrays deployed was pictured departing the International Space Station Dec. 5, 2017, during Expedition 53. Credit: NASA
Arrival of the Cygnus at the space station is scheduled for Nov. 19. Cygnus carries about 7,400 pounds of crew supplies and hardware, including science and research in support of dozens of research investigations.
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft was launched aboard the company’s Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at 4:01 a.m. EST Nov. 17. The flight is Northrop Grumman’s 10th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the space station.
The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft aboard, launches from Pad-0A, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft lifted off at 4:01 a.m. EST and is on its way to the International Space Station.
At about 5:45 a.m., commands will be given to deploy the spacecraft’s solar arrays.
Launch coverage will continue on NASA TV until shortly after spacecraft separation then resume at 5 a.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 6:30 a.m.
For more information about the International Space Station, visit www.nasa.gov/station.
Countdown is proceeding toward a 4:01 a.m. EST launch window for Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
Live coverage and commentary of the mission is now airing on NASA TV and streaming online at nasa.gov/live.
Antares is carrying Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft for the company’s 10th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the space station. Cygnus will carry about 7,400 pounds of crew supplies and hardware to the station, including science and research in support of dozens of research investigations.
Countdown is proceeding toward a 4:01 a.m. EST launch window for Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
Live coverage of the mission is now airing on Wallops video and audio Ustream sites. Launch coverage and commentary on NASA TV and streaming online at nasa.gov/live will begin at 3:30 a.m. EST.
The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus spacecraft aboard, is seen on Pad-0A, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Antares is carrying Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft for the company’s 10th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the space station. Cygnus will carry about 7,400 pounds of crew supplies and hardware to the station, including science and research in support of dozens of research investigations.
NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport are set to support the launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket, carrying the company’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station at 4:01 a.m. EST, Nov. 17.
The launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents up and down the East Coast of the United States.
The launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility may be visible throughout the Mid-Atlantic, depending on local conditions. Credit: NASA/Stephan Wlodarczyk
When accessed from a smartphone browser, the Wallops Mission Status Center website can provide specific viewing information based on your location. Live coverage of the mission is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. EST Nov. 16 on the Wallops video and audio Ustream sites.
Launch coverage and commentary on NASA TV and streaming online at nasa.gov/live will begin at 3:30 a.m. EST Nov. 17.
NASA astronaut Kay Hire describes what it’s like to witness a rocket launch in person. This audio postcard was recorded in May 2018 at Wallops during the most recent previous launch of an Antares rocket. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
For local launch-viewers, the NASA Visitor Center at Wallops opens at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 17 (four hours before the launch). Additional locations for catching the launch are Robert Reed Park on Chincoteague Island or Beach Road spanning the area between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. Assateague Island National Seashore/Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia will not be open for viewing the launch.
Visitors are reminded that alcohol, pets and firearms are not allowed on the NASA Visitor Center grounds.
Under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract, Cygnus will carry about 7,400 pounds of crew supplies and hardware to the space station, including science and research in support of dozens of research investigations.
Northrop Grumman’s 10th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. The launch window opens Saturday, Nov. 17, at 4:01 a.m. EST.
Today’s Wallops range forecast predicts excellent conditions for launch, with less than a 5 percent chance of a weather-related concern.
The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft aboard, is seen on Pad-0A after sunrise, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
The storm system that produced high winds and heavy rain on Thursday is currently exiting the region and moving off quickly to the northeast. Windy conditions will continue through the morning hours before beginning to subside this afternoon as the area of low pressure moves farther away and high pressure builds closer to the Wallops area.
The launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket with Cygnus cargo spacecraft is now targeted for 4:01 a.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 17, from Pad 0A of Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, located at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. NASA TV will provide launch coverage with commentary online beginning at 3:30 a.m.
The teams decided to wait another day for launch after assessing continuing unfavorable weather conditions, including high winds and high seas, forecast for Friday morning. The forecast for a launch Saturday is significantly improved with a less than five percent chance of weather conditions preventing a launch.
Under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract, Cygnus will carry about 7,400 pounds of crew supplies and hardware to the International Space Station, including critical science and research investigations. A launch Saturday would result in capture and berthing Monday, Nov. 19.
The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft aboard, is seen on Pad-0A, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
The launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket with Cygnus cargo spacecraft has been postponed due to the poor weather forecast for the original launch window on Nov. 15. The revised launch window now opens at 4:23 a.m. EST on Nov. 16 from Pad 0A of Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, located at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus spacecraft aboard, is seen on Pad-0A, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Today’s Wallops range forecast for Nov. 15 assessed weather conditions at 90-percent unfavorable for a launch, with the main concerns being thick clouds, disturbed weather and low cloud ceilings. Heavy rainfall (1-2 inches) and high wind gusts (45-50 mph) are expected.
Rainfall looks to taper off early Friday morning, but strong northwesterly winds are still expected to affect the Eastern Shore during Friday’s backup count and launch window. Winds are expected to be sustained at 25-30 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. Sea states will also be of concern with the prolonged high wind event: Seas are expected to be 8-12 feet during Friday morning’s count and slightly falling off to 8-10 feet during the launch window.
Conditions look to become quite favorable for a launch Saturday morning with high pressure building into the southeastern U.S. and the Eastern Shore, providing lighter winds and mostly clear to clear skies. One caveat to Saturday however, is that the system expected to impact the Wallops region Thursday will drag a strong front across Bermuda on Friday into early Saturday, providing potentially heavy rainfall and strong winds there prior to the launch window. At this time, conditions do look to improve enough in
Bermuda prior to the expected T-0 Saturday morning with winds diminishing and light rainfall lingering.
Weather in Bermuda is a factor because NASA’s Bermuda Tracking Station supports tracking, telemetry, command and control of launches from both Wallops and Florida.
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft is set to lift off aboard the company’s Antares rocket on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 4:49 a.m. EST (9:49 a.m. UTC) from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
Under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract, Cygnus will carry about 7,500 pounds of crew supplies and hardware to the International Space Station, including science and research in support of dozens of research investigations.
Highlights of space station research that will be facilitated by investigations aboard this Cygnus include:
A test of the first integrated 3D printer and recycler to turn waste plastic materials into high-quality 3D-printer filament to create tools and materials, a key capability for future long-duration space missions beyond low-Earth orbit.
Dr. Allison Porter, flight missions manager at Tethers Unlimited Inc., with a mock-up of the Refabricator, a combination 3D printer and recycler, headed to the International Space Station aboard NG-10. In Porter’s hand is a roll of 3D printer filament. Credit: NASA TV
A lab-on-a-chip (a fully automated, multifunctional cell culture platform) investigation looking at skeletal muscle cells, which aims to better understand muscle growth and repair in microgravity.
Higher Orbits’ “Go For Launch” student program is supplying an experiment that focuses on the evaluation of self-healing materials in microgravity, the work of students Spencer Harris, George Tang, Ryan Ferzoco, Tarun Golla and Abby Maltese.
Image courtesy Higher Orbits.
An investigation into the complex process of cement solidification to explore how gravity levels like those on the Moon and Mars may potentially affect concrete hardening.
Research to develop a mathematical model for how an astronaut’s perception of motion, body position and distance to objects changes in space.
