Antares Rocket

Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Antares Rocket is designed to launch payloads up to 5000kg in low Earth orbit. It will be used launch Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station. It was formerly called Taurus II.

NEWS

The Antares A-One launch has been rescheduled for Saturday 20 April 2013.

Orbital Sciences Antares Rocket

Flights

Antares Rocket Specs:

Diameter: 3.9 m (12.8 ft)
Height: 40.5 m (133 ft)
Payload to LEO: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)
Stages: 2 to 3.

Key Partners:

1. Orbital Sciences Corporation: Prime integrator, systems engineering,
avionics, primary structure, testing and software. Overall Stage 1 development and integration.
2. KB Yuzhnoye/Yuzhmash: Stage 1 core design, production
and verification
3. Aerojet: Stage 1 engines
4. ATK: Stage 2 motor

History

In 2008, Ukraine's Pivdenne design bureau and Pivdenmash (both based in Dnipropetrovsk) signed a long-term contract until 2019 with U.S. Orbital Science Corporation to design and produce the first stage of the Taurus-II rocket (today the Antares rocket) to deliver cargo to the ISS.

On October 1, 2012 Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Antares rocket rolled out to the launch pad at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility  Over the next several months, Orbital plans a hot-fire test of the Antares first stage, the maiden flight of an Antares rocket, and a cargo delivery demonstration mission to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services. Antares will carry Cygnus aloft on a demonstration mission to the orbiting lab.

Orbital Sciences Antares Rocket

Orbital Sciences Corporation announced in mid October 2012 that it has rescheduled the first mission to the International Space Station of its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the spring of 2013.

NASA commercial partner Orbital Sciences of Dulles, Va., successfully conducted an engine test of its Antares rocket Friday, February 22, 2013 from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Va. The company fired dual AJ26 rocket engines for approximately 30 seconds while the rocket was bolted down on the pad. Known as a "hot fire" test, it demonstrated the readiness of the rocket's first stage and launch pad fueling systems to support upcoming test flights.

The first launch of the new Antares medium-class space launch vehicle, built for delivering cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) by U.S. Orbital Science Corp as a part of international cooperation with the participation of Ukraine, is currently scheduled for April 17. This will be the first of three launches of the new rocket scheduled for 2013.

The launch will be made from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. The goal of the mission is to launch and deliver a simulated payload to a target orbit of 250 km x 300 km with an inclination of 51.6 degrees.

Following this launch, Orbital will carry out a full flight demonstration of its new Antares/Cygnus cargo delivery system to the International Space Station (ISS) around mid-year 2013. In addition, the company is also scheduled to launch the first of eight operational cargo resupply missions to the ISS in late 2013 under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA.

This guide takes an in-depth look at Project Constellation, the bold initiative designed to bring America’s space exploration program into the 21st century.