posted 11-09-2016 04:21 PM               

NASA, Orbital ATK Target Spring 2017 for Next Cargo Mission

Orbital ATK has contracted with United Launch Alliance (ULA) for an Atlas V rocket for the company's next cargo resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station. This will be Cygnus' third flight atop an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Launch is targeted for spring 2017.

This mission is one of Orbital ATK's previously awarded 11 missions under its first commercial resupply services (CRS-1) contract with NASA. Both the agency and Orbital ATK mutually agreed to use of the Atlas V in order to expedite the company's seventh contracted resupply mission, and their CRS-1 contract was modified Nov. 8, 2016.

"We're continuously working with all our partners on range availability, space station traffic and other factors to maximize utilization, operation of the station in a safe and effective way as we use it as our test bed for preparing for longer duration missions farther into the solar system, including the Journey to Mars," said Kirk Shireman, manager, ISS Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and Orbital ATK continue to work toward the next Antares launch from the agency's Wallops Flight Facilities in Virginia. Missions from that facility will resume with Orbital ATK's eighth and subsequent resupply missions to the station next year.

Orbital ATK launched a successful flight Oct. 17 from Wallops on its upgraded Antares. By contracting with ULA for its next flight, the company will be able to meet NASA's near and long term cargo needs.

"The schedule provides margin flexibility for our Antares workforce, who worked tirelessly for the past several months to prepare and successfully launch the upgraded rocket from Wallops Island on our sixth contracted commercial resupply services mission," said Frank DeMauro, vice president, Orbital ATK. "This plan also allows NASA to again capitalize on the operational flexibility built into Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft to assure the space station receives a steady and uninterrupted flow of vital supplies, equipment and scientific experiments."

posted 03-09-2017 12:20 PM               

Godspeed the SS John Glenn: Cargo ship named for late Mercury astronaut

The next U.S. commercial spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station will launch under the name of the first American to orbit Earth, lifting off atop a modern version of the rocket on which he made history.

Orbital ATK on Thursday (March 9) revealed it has named its seventh station-bound Cygnus cargo freighter the "S.S. John Glenn," posthumously honoring the original Mercury astronaut and U.S. Senator.

posted 03-10-2017 03:46 PM               

The launch of the ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the OA-7 Cygnus spacecraft for Orbital ATK and NASA is scheduled for no earlier than March 21, due to a booster hydraulic issue discovered during prelaunch testing. The additional time will allow the team to replace a component and continue with launch preparations.

The Atlas V and Cygnus spacecraft remain secure in their processing facilities.

posted 03-15-2017 03:27 PM               

The launch of the ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the OA-7 Cygnus spacecraft for Orbital ATK and NASA is confirmed on the Eastern Range for Friday, March 24. ULA has requested the option to launch on March 23, pending Eastern Range availability. The additional time allows the ULA team to replace and retest a first stage hydraulic component. The Atlas V and Cygnus spacecraft remain secure in their processing facilities.

Liftoff is scheduled for approximately 9 p.m. Eastern time on March 24 [0100 GMT March 25] from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

posted 03-20-2017 03:12 PM               

The ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the OA-7 Cygnus spacecraft for Orbital ATK and NASA is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 27. The additional time allows the ULA team troubleshoot a hydraulic issue discovered on ground support equipment needed for launch.

The Atlas V and Cygnus spacecraft remain secure in their processing facilities.

posted 03-22-2017 03:41 PM               

The launch of the ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the OA-7 Cygnus spacecraft for Orbital ATK and NASA has been postponed. While completing testing for a ground support hydraulic condition discovered during prelaunch testing, a different issue with a booster hydraulic line was observed. The team is developing a plan to resolve the issue and a new launch date will be determined.

The Atlas V and Cygnus spacecraft remain secure.

posted 04-03-2017 04:44 PM               

The launch of the ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the OA-7 Cygnus spacecraft for Orbital ATK and NASA is scheduled for April 18.

While completing testing for a ground support hydraulic condition discovered during prelaunch testing, a different issue with a booster hydraulic line was observed. The team has developed a plan to resolve the issue and is moving forward with launch vehicle processing.

posted 04-18-2017 10:35 AM               

Cygnus cargo capsule launches for space station, returns 'John Glenn' to orbit

John Glenn lifted off atop an Atlas rocket from Cape Canaveral into Earth orbit on Tuesday.

The preceding sentence could describe both the launch of the first American astronaut to circle the planet on Feb. 20, 1962, and the liftoff of a U.S. commercial cargo spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station 55 years later.

The latter, the launch of the S.S. John Glenn — named in honor of the late Mercury hero — took place at 11:11 a.m. EDT (1311 GMT) Tuesday (April 18) from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The uncrewed spacecraft, an Orbital ATK Cygnus module, was boosted into orbit on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V, the modern version of the launch vehicle that carried the astronaut into space from nearby Complex 14.

posted 04-22-2017 05:44 AM               

SS John Glenn arrives at space station

The S.S. John Glenn, Orbital ATK's seventh Cygnus cargo spacecraft to deliver supplies and science for the crew on board the International Space Station, completed a four-day flight to the outpost on Saturday morning (April 21).

Expedition 51 flight engineer Thomas Pesquet of ESA (the European Space Agency), working with commander Peggy Whitson of NASA, captured the John Glenn using the space station's Canadarm2 robotic arm at 6:05 a.m. EDT (1005 GMT).

"We are very proud to welcome on board the S.S. John Glenn," said Pesquet.

With the Cygnus in grasp, flight controllers at NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston will guide the spacecraft to a berthing on the Earth-facing port of the space station’s Unity module, where it will remain attached for the next 85 days.

posted 06-04-2017 11:16 AM               

The S.S. John Glenn Cygnus spacecraft was released from the International Space Station on Sunday (June 4) at 9:10 a.m. EDT [1310 GMT] after 44 days at the orbiting laboratory. C

Cygnus will now complete three additional science experiments; the Spacecraft Fire Experiment-III (Saffire-III) for NASA's Glenn Research Center, the deployment of four CubeSats from its NanoRacks CubeSat deployer, and the Reentry Data Collection (RED-Data-2) test.

Cygnus will reenter the Earth's atmosphere on June 11.