Orbital Sciences [ORB] began launch vehicle operations at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s (MARS) liquid-fuel launch complex at Wallops Island, Va., according to a company statement.
The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority (VCSFA), which oversees MARS, authorized Orbital to begin on-pad operations leading up to flight demonstrations of its Antares medium-class launch vehicle and Cygnus cargo logistics spacecraft, the vehicle Orbital will use to fulfill a $1.9 billion NASA contract to deliver essential cargo to the International Space Station. Orbital President and CEO David Thompson said Monday in a statement the company started full-pad operations early Monday.
Orbital plans to complete three major program milestones over the next several months. It will first perform a hot-fire test operation to demonstrate the readiness of the rocket’s first stage and launch pad fueling systems to support upcoming flights. The hot-fire operation is expected to be conducted in four to five weeks following integration and check-out of the Antares first stage test unit with the launch complex’s fueling stations.
Orbital will follow the hot-fire test with the maiden flight of Antares one month later. Antares will carry a Cygnus mass simulator payload that will be launched into orbit by Antares and, following a series of in-orbit tests, will autonomously rendezvous and berth with the ISS.
The third milestone will be a Commercial Orbital Transportation Services demonstration mission to the ISS. A fully operational Cygnus spacecraft will be launched into orbit by Antares and, following a series of tests, will autonomously rendezvous and berth with the ISS.
GenCorp’s [GY] Aerojet is modifying an old Russian liquid rocket engine to be used in the first stage Antares (Defense Daily, July 24). Orbital spokesman Barron Beneski said Tuesday in an email the company still expects Antares to have its first flight in 2012.