Following a one day delay due to a power outage in the area around Vandenberg AFB. Orbital Sciences is preparing to launch NASA’s IRIS satellite aboard the air launched Pegasus XL booster. IRIS, which stands for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is designed to study the behavior of a little understood region of the sun’s atmosphere, the “interface” region […]
What was already likely to not be a very happy week at United Launch Alliance just got a whole lot worse. Only a day after SpaceX entered into an agreement with the Air Force to begin the process of qualifying its boosters for EELV business, Reuters is reporting that the Federal Trade Commission is opening an […]
Stratolaunch announced yesterday that following a 9 month courtship, it is entering into a development arrangement with Orbital Sciences Corporation to secure the booster for the behemoth, twin boomed aircraft currently being built by Scaled Composites at Mojave. NBC News Science Editor Alan Boyle shed a little more light on the arrangement yesterday on his […]
It has been quite a week for Orbital Sciences Corporation. Following the successful maiden launch of its Antares rocket on Sunday, OSC reported first quarter earnings on Monday, and they too were strong, showing a 31% growth in operating income. Today, the company annouced that it has been selected by NASA to build the Transiting Exo Planet Survey […]
Press release from Orbital Sciences following today’s successful launch of the Antares booster ORBITAL SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES FIRST ANTARES ROCKET — Company Introduces America’s Newest Medium-Class Space Launch Vehicle — — Orbital Now Poised to Conduct Cargo Resupply Demonstrations Mission to International Space Station in Mid 2013 — (Dulles, VA 21 April 2013) – Orbital Sciences […]
Newest launch info from NASA. Gov After excessive high level winds prompted the delay of yesterday’s launch attempt for the Antares booster, Orbital Sciences is preparing to try again today; same time, same channel. Launch now is scheduled for 5 p.m. EDT, and NASA Television coverage will begin at 4:30 p.m. Good luck to NASA, Orbital […]
NASA has announced that Orbital Sciences is planning a second launch attempt for the Antares booster “no earlier than” 5:00 PM (Eastern) on Saturday, April 20th. Launch coverage on NASA TV will begin at 4:30 PM Eastern if the time holds, or 30 minutes prior to liftoff if it slips. As occurred on Wednesday’s attempt, the launch window progressively narrows as the Antares […]
Update: This story has been updated to reflect a possible new launch attempt on Friday. The maiden launch of the Orbital Sciences Antares rocket was scrubbed Wednesday at 4:48 PM Eastern time. The abort was caused by the pre-mature separation of a second stage umbilical line. Orbital has confirmed that the earliest likely opportunity will be on Friday, […]
There are any number of interesting stories surrounding today’s scheduled launch of Orbital Science Corporation’s Antares rocket, not the least of which is the opportunity for a bit of redemption for Orbital Sciences, for first stage manufacturer Yuzhmash of the Ukraine, and perhaps most of all, the pair of Soviet built NK-33 main engines, now updated and rebranded as the Aerojet […]
It is a very rare occasion to see the first flight of a new launch vehicle, but if all goes well Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Antares Launch Vehicle will blast off from the Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility at 5:00 PM (Eastern) on Wednesday, April 17th. The launch window extends to 8:00 PM each day through the […]
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