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  Orbital ATK's Cygnus CRS flights in 2015-16

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Author Topic:   Orbital ATK's Cygnus CRS flights in 2015-16
Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
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posted 12-09-2014 01:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Orbital Sciences Corporation release
Orbital Announces Additional Details Concerning CRS Program and Antares Launcher Go-Forward Plans

Next Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft to Be Launched on Atlas V Vehicle in Fall 2015; Upgraded Antares Rockets to Resume Flights from Wallops Island in Early 2016

Orbital Sciences Corporation, one of the world's leading space technology companies, today (Dec. 9) announced new details in its plans to resume cargo flights to the International Space Station (ISS) and to accelerate the introduction of an upgraded Antares launch vehicle.

In formulating its go-forward plans, the company's primary objective is to fulfill its commitment to NASA for ISS cargo deliveries with high levels of safety and reliability and minimum disruption to schedules. As previously announced, these plans are expected to allow Orbital to accomplish all remaining cargo deliveries under its current Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA by the end of 2016 and with no cost increase to the space agency.

The company's go-forward plans for the CRS program and Antares launch vehicle include these major elements:

  • Atlas V Launch: Orbital has contracted with United Launch Alliance for an Atlas V launch of a Cygnus cargo spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the fourth quarter of 2015, with an option for a second Atlas V launch in 2016 if needed. The Atlas rocket's greater lift capacity will allow Cygnus to carry nearly 35% more cargo to the ISS than previously planned for CRS missions in 2015.

  • Antares Propulsion Upgrade: The company has confirmed its ability to accelerate the introduction of a new main propulsion system for the Antares rocket and has scheduled three additional CRS launches in the first, second and fourth quarters of 2016 using the upgraded vehicle. The greater payload performance of the upgraded Antares will permit Cygnus spacecraft on each of these missions to deliver over 20% more cargo than in prior plans. With necessary supplier contracts now in place, the first new propulsion systems are expected to arrive at the Antares final assembly facility at Wallops Island, Virginia in mid-2015 to begin vehicle integration and testing.

  • Wallops Launch Site Repairs: The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) has assessed the clean-up, repair and reconstruction work necessary to return the Wallops launch complex to operational status. Current plans call for repairs to be substantially completed by the fall of 2015, with recertification taking place before year end.
The flexibility of Orbital's Cygnus cargo spacecraft to accommodate heavier cargo loads, together with the greater lift capacity of the Atlas V and upgraded Antares vehicles, will allow the company to complete all currently contracted ISS deliveries in four missions instead of the five previously planned flights over the next two years. In addition, the company's revised approach is not expected to create any material adverse financial impacts in 2015 or future years as Orbital carries out the CRS cargo delivery and Antares propulsion upgrade programs.

Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
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posted 12-16-2014 04:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Orbital Sciences Corp. will buy directly from Russia's NPO Energomash the RD-181 engine to replace the AJ-26 implicated in the loss of Antares, Aviation Week & Space Technology reports.
Designated the RD-181, the new engine will be used on Antares in shipsets of two to accommodate as closely as possible the two-engine configuration built around the AJ-26 engines supplied by Aerojet Rocketdyne, Orbital Sciences managers said Dec. 16.

A descendant of the RD-171 that powers the Ukrainian-built Zenit launch vehicle, the RD-181 will be manufactured in the same Khimki factory that builds the RD-180 used on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V. It closely resembles the RD-191 on Russia's new Angara launcher and the RD-151 that powers South Korea's Naro-1 launch vehicle.

In testing at Energomash, "the RD-181s have seen more than two times the Antares flight duration to date, and if you take a look at some of the heritage of this engine, the RD-151 and the RD-191 combined have over 10 hr. of test time for their configuration testing," said Mark Pieczynski, Orbital's vice president for space launch strategic development.

...Energomash will deliver the first shipset next summer and a second in the fall of 2015.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 02-20-2015 01:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Orbital ATK has said its revamped Antares rocket featuring a new main engine would make its first launch in March 2016 carrying a fully-loaded Cygnus cargo ship bound for the International Space Station, SpaceNews reports.
The Atlas 5 is scheduled to launch the first of the enhanced-version Cygnus modules in October. [Orbital ATK Chief Executive David] Thompson said NASA may wish to delay the launch to November depending on space station traffic, but that Orbital will be ready in October.

Then comes the January test firing of the Antares first stage equipped with the new RD-181 engine. "Unless something surprising occurs, we should then be able to proceed pretty expeditiously to the launch of the re-engined vehicle in March of next year, and that will have a full cargo load." Thompson said.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 08-12-2015 09:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Orbital ATK release
Orbital ATK Updates progres on ISS Cargo Delivery program for NASA

Company in Advanced Preparations for Next Cygnus Mission Later This Year

Antares Rocket on Track for Return to Flight from Wallops Island in Early 2016

Orbital ATK, Inc., a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, is making excellent progress in resuming its cargo delivery service to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract, the company stated today. Orbital ATK is on track to launch its next CRS mission late this year and is moving forward with integration of a new first stage propulsion system into the Antares launch vehicle in preparation for multiple CRS missions in 2016.

"We committed to NASA that we would resume CRS cargo delivery missions as soon as possible under a comprehensive 'go-forward' plan after the Antares launch failure last October," said David W. Thompson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Orbital ATK. "Since that time our team has been sharply focused on fulfilling that commitment. With a Cygnus mission slated for later this year and at least three additional missions to the Space Station planned in 2016, we are on track to meet our CRS cargo requirements for NASA."

Three main CRS program efforts are simultaneously underway, including preparing the enhanced Cygnus spacecraft for the next ISS cargo mission (OA-4) to launch aboard an Atlas V rocket this December; upgrading the Antares rocket by integrating and testing the new RD-181 main engines with the modified first stage core structure; and working with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) to complete repairs to the Pad 0A launch complex at Wallops Island to support the resumption of CRS missions from Wallops Island in early 2016.

Preparations for the OA-4 Mission

Orbital ATK will launch its next Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS aboard an Atlas V rocket supplied by United Launch Alliance (ULA) from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The OA-4 CRS mission is scheduled for launch in early December 2015. Like most Orbital ATK spacecraft, Cygnus is designed to be compatible with multiple launch vehicles. This capability, combined with ULA's flexibility in making available a launch slot this year, is enabling Orbital ATK to carry out the mission on a shortened schedule to be responsive to NASA's ISS logistics requirements.

"For the OA-4 mission, launching aboard the more powerful Atlas V allows us to better support NASA's ISS cargo needs with a full load of about 3,500 kg of pressurized cargo, consisting of essential supplies, equipment and science experiments," said Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group. The company also recently contracted with ULA for a second Atlas V rocket that will be used to launch an additional CRS mission in 2016 in order to provide NASA with the maximum cargo load Cygnus can carry.

"In 2016, we will carry out at least three more CRS missions: two (or possibly three) will be launched by Antares rockets, the first of which is on a path to be ready to launch early in the year, and one more will be launched aboard Atlas V to support NASA's need for additional cargo," Culbertson added. "We have not finalized the exact sequence of these missions yet, but the plan capitalizes on the flexibility of Cygnus to launch on either vehicle and provides better schedule assurance for our customer."

The Cygnus spacecraft to be used for upcoming CRS missions features an extended pressurized cargo module (PCM) that allows it to deliver larger volumes of cargo to the station than in previous missions. The spacecraft will also use the latest in lightweight space-qualified power system technology with the addition of the company's Ultraflex solar arrays.

Above: The Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module for the OA-4 mission arrived at the Kennedy Space Center on August 10 for processing in preparation for the upcoming CRS space station resupply mission in early December. Credit: Orbital ATK

The PCM for the OA-4 mission arrived at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) earlier this week where it will be integrated with the Cygnus spacecraft's service module, which will arrive in early October. The service module, which houses the spacecraft's avionics, electrical, propulsion and communications systems, is currently completing final testing at the company's Dulles, Virginia satellite manufacturing facility. Final assembly, cargo loading and fueling of the Cygnus spacecraft will take place at KSC prior to its integration with the Atlas V rocket for an early December launch.

Antares Return-to-Flight Progress

Orbital ATK's Antares program remains on schedule to commence flight operations from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in early 2016. Following the completion of certification and acceptance testing of the RD-181, the first dual-engine ship-set arrived at the Antares integration facilities at Wallops Island in mid-July.

"The RD-181 engine provides extra thrust and higher specific impulse, significantly increasing the payload capacity of the Antares rocket. This state-of-the-art propulsion system is a direct adaptation of the RD-191 engine, which completed an extensive qualification and certification program in 2013, accumulating more than 37,000 seconds of total run time," said Mr. Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK's Flight Systems Group.

Antares program engineers and technicians recently integrated the two RD-181 engines with a newly designed and built thrust frame adapter and modified first stage airframe. Later this month, new propellant feed lines and first stage avionics systems will be delivered to Wallops to support full vehicle integration. Orbital ATK plans to conduct a "hot fire" test on the launch pad late this year or in early 2016 to verify the vehicle's operational performance and compatibility of the MARS launch complex.

"With the delivery of the first set of flight engines now accomplished, and the second ship-set expected to arrive in the fall, Antares remains solidly on track to resume flights early in 2016. In fact, within the next couple of weeks all the hardware for the next Antares vehicle will be at our Wallops final assembly facility, with equipment for several additional rockets following a few months later," added Lehr.

Status of MARS Launch Pad Repairs

Repairs of the MARS Pad 0A launch facility at Wallops Island are currently underway and are scheduled to be completed at the end of September. Working with MARS, Orbital ATK has installed an upgraded hydraulic system used to erect Antares vertically on the pad, which recently completed testing and certification. Other launch pad systems are on track to comfortably support the on-pad Antares "hot fire" test late this year or in early 2016.

The Orbital ATK CRS Team

Employees from Orbital ATK locations across the United States support the CRS program, including teams from Dulles, Virginia; Chandler, Arizona; Goleta and Commerce, California; Magna, Utah; and Wallops Island, Virginia.

"Our team and our partners are devoting maximum efforts to ensuring the success of NASA's ISS commercial cargo program," said Thompson. "We are committed to meeting all CRS mission requirements, and we are prepared to continue to supply the Space Station for many years to come if we are selected for additional missions by NASA."

OV3Discovery
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posted 08-16-2015 04:47 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for OV3Discovery     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
With the two launches aboard the Atlas V, would Cygnus have a higher payload capacity than with the Antares launcher?

Jim Behling
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posted 08-16-2015 07:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jim Behling   Click Here to Email Jim Behling     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yes, the performance of the Atlas is much higher than the Antares.

SkyMan1958
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posted 08-21-2015 12:10 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for SkyMan1958   Click Here to Email SkyMan1958     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
There's an interesting article in the Los Angeles Times about Orbital's profits AFTER the explosion of its resupply mission last year (they've gone WAY up). Amongst other interesting bits of information, according to the Times, "The companies get all but 20% of the price of a cargo mission even if the rocket explodes."

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