Category: CRS-9

Cargo Loading For Orbital ATK’s CRS-9 Cygnus Spacecraft

Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft was filled with late-load cargo on May 15, 2018, in preparation for the company’s CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Cygnus, dubbed the S.S. J.R. Thompson, is scheduled for launch aboard an Orbital ATK Antares rocket at 5:04 a.m. EDT on May 20 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

CRS-9 Late-Cargo Loading
Orbital ATK staff add late-load cargo to the company’s Cygnus spacecraft on May 15, 2018, for the CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital ATK
CRS-9 Late-Cargo Loading
Orbital ATK staff add late-load cargo to the company’s Cygnus spacecraft on May 15, 2018, for the CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital ATK
CRS-9 Late-Cargo Loading
Orbital ATK staff add late-load cargo to the company’s Cygnus spacecraft on May 15, 2018, for the CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital ATK

How to Watch the Orbital ATK CRS-9 Antares Rocket Launch In Person

Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its ninth contracted mission to the International Space Station in a five-minute window beginning at 4:39 a.m. EDT, Monday, May 21 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Populations all along the U.S. east coast will have the chance to catch a glimpse of the Antares rocket as it blasts the Cygnus cargo spacecraft on the way to orbit. Follow this launch blog for the latest mission status updates.

Map of locations and times on the U.S. East Coast for viewing the Antares rocket launch.
Map of locations and times on the U.S. East Coast for viewing the Antares rocket launch. Credit: Orbital ATK

Information for those planning to visit the NASA Wallops Visitor Center.

How to Watch the Orbital ATK CRS-9 Antares Rocket Launch Online

Orbital ATK Antares rocket at launchpad
An Orbital ATK Antares rocket with Cygnus spacecraft onboard at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its ninth contracted mission to the International Space Station in a five-minute window beginning at 4:39 a.m. EDT, Monday, May 21 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Live launch coverage will begin at 4 a.m. Eastern, Sunday, May 20. You can watch online:

www.nasa.gov/live
www.nasa.gov/nasatv

Live streams will also be shared on NASA’s Facebook page, by @NASA on Twitter and on YouTube (NASA Television.)

 

Cygnus Spacecraft for CRS-9 Rolls to Fueling Facility

At NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Orbital ATK’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft was moved from payload processing to spacecraft fueling early on the morning of April 30.

The Cygnus for the CRS-9 mission — Orbital ATK’s ninth contracted cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station — is scheduled to launch aboard the company’s Antares rocket no earlier than 5:04 a.m. EDT May 20.

enclosed Cygnus spacecraft moved between buildings at NASA Wallops
Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft for the CRS-9 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station is moved from a payload processing facility to a fueling facility on April 30 at NASA Wallops in Virginia. Credit: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility/Kyle Hoppes
enclosed Cygnus spacecraft moved between buildings at NASA Wallops
Credit: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility/Kyle Hoppes
enclosed Cygnus spacecraft moved between buildings at NASA Wallops
Credit: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility/Kyle Hoppes
enclosed Cygnus spacecraft moved between buildings at NASA Wallops
Credit: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility/Kyle Hoppes

Launch will be from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad-0A at NASA Wallops.

Cargo resupply by U.S. companies ensures a national capability to deliver critical science research to the space station, significantly increasing NASA’s ability to conduct new science investigations in the world’s only microgravity laboratory.

More information about Orbital ATK’s cargo resupply work with NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk