Tag: COTS

Exploring NASA’s Agreement with Bigelow

Exploring NASA’s Agreement with Bigelow

On Thursday, May 23 at 1:30 p.m. EDT, NASA Associate Administrator Bill Gerstenmaier and Bigelow Aerospace founder and president Robert Bigelow will hold a “media availability” to discuss the Space Act Agreement between the two organizations.  The event comes two months after the original document outlining the participation was signed in late March of this year, and almost midway through […]

Posted in: Moon, NASA, Space Commerce
Antares Conducts Flawless Maiden Launch

Antares Conducts Flawless Maiden Launch

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 […]

Antares Now Scheduled for Today (Sunday)

Antares Now Scheduled for Today (Sunday)

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 […]

Antares Aims for Saturday Launch

Antares Aims for Saturday Launch

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 : Antares First Attempt Scrubbed, Next Opportunity on Friday

Update : Antares First Attempt Scrubbed, Next Opportunity on Friday

  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, […]

On Launch Day for Antares, An Opportunity for Redemption

On Launch Day for Antares, An Opportunity for Redemption

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 […]

Launch Week for Antares

Launch Week for Antares

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 […]

Antares Rolled Out to Launch Pad

Antares Rolled Out to Launch Pad

Orbital Sciences Press Release: (Dulles, VA 6 April 2013) Early this morning, Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) rolled out the first fully integrated Antares rocket from its assembly building at NASAs Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) in eastern Virginia in preparation for its inaugural flight that is scheduled for April 17 at approximately 5:00 p.m. (EDT). […]

SkyLab II, Inspiration Mars and Promoting SLS

SkyLab II, Inspiration Mars and Promoting SLS

Keith Cowing reported on March 28th, that the Inspiration Mars Foundation is being heavily pressured by elements at JSC and MSFC to base its plans for a 2018 circumnavigation of Mars on a single launch of the agency’s yet to be flown Space Launch System.  Although  Cowing did not reveal the source of his information, given NASAWatch’s role in bringing other […]

Falcon 9 Fairing Testing

Falcon 9 Fairing Testing

One of the challenges standing between SpaceX and the debut of the Falcon 9 V1.1  is  completing testing of the enormous payload fairing which will protect commercial spacecraft on rides to orbit aboard the new booster.  The 5.2 meter diameter fairing with a  13.9 meter usable length which will be among the largest in the world, is built by SpaceX  and is […]

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