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Orbital Sciences Antares Rocket Launch Flawless

By  //  July 13, 2014

WILL LAUNCH FROM WALLOPS AT 12 NOON

ABOVE VIDEO: Tune in to SpaceCoastDaily.com to watch the live stream of the progress of Orbital’s Cygnus spacecraft which will deliver cargo and crew supplies to the International Space Station. 


WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY, VIRGINIA – The Orbital Sciences Corp. launch of its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station went flawlessly as the rocket lifted off right on time at 12:52 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The Orbital Sciences Corp. launch of its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station went flawlessly as the rocket lifted off right on time at 12:52 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (NASA image)
The Orbital Sciences Corp. launch of its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station went flawlessly as the rocket lifted off right on time at 12:52 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (NASA image)

Among the research investigations headed to the space station aboard Orbital-2 are a flock of nanosatellites that are designed to take images of Earth, developed by Planet Labs of San Francisco; and a satellite-related investigation called TechEdSat-4 built by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California, which aims to develop technology that will eventually enable small samples to be returned to Earth from the space station.

In addition, a host of student experiments are being flown in association with the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program, an initiative of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and NanoRacks.

The Cygnus cargo spacecraft will perform a series of maneuvers to reach the International Space Station on the morning of Wednesday, July 16.

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ORIGINAL POST: July 12, 2014

LIVE: Antares Rocket Launch Set For Today

Orbital Sciences Corp. has postponed the launch of its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station until 12:52 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Antares rocket for the Orb-2 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station is lifted onto the Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL). The stage one core for the next mission, Orb-3, is on the left. Orbital is scheduled to launch its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the space station on July 11 from the Mid-Atlantic Spaceport’s Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (NASA.gov image)
Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Antares rocket for the Orb-2 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station is lifted onto the Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL). The stage one core for the next mission, Orb-3, is on the left. Orbital is scheduled to launch its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the space station on July 13 from the Mid-Atlantic Spaceport’s Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (NASA.gov image)

Severe weather in the Wallops area has repeatedly interrupted Orbital’s operations schedule leading up to the launch.

Coverage of Sunday’s launch will begin at noon.

The Cygnus will be filled with more than 3,000 pounds of supplies for the station, including science experiments to expand the research capability of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the orbiting laboratory, crew provisions, spare parts and experiment hardware.

The Cygnus will be filled with more than 3,000 pounds of supplies for the station, including science experiments to expand the research capability of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the orbiting laboratory, crew provisions, spare parts and experiment hardware. (NASA.gov image)
The Cygnus will be filled with more than 3,000 pounds of supplies for the station, including science experiments to expand the research capability of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the orbiting laboratory, crew provisions, spare parts and experiment hardware. (NASA.gov image)

Among the research investigations headed to the space station aboard Orbital-2 are a flock of nanosatellites that are designed to take images of Earth, developed by Planet Labs of San Francisco; and a satellite-related investigation called TechEdSat-4 built by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California, which aims to develop technology that will eventually enable small samples to be returned to Earth from the space station.

In addition, a host of student experiments are being flown in association with the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program, an initiative of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and NanoRacks.

This and future commercial cargo resupply flights will ensure a robust national capability to deliver critical science research to orbit, significantly increasing NASA’s ability to conduct new science investigations to the only laboratory in microgravity.

BELOW VIDEO: Orbital Sciences Corporation has completed pre-launch processing and rollout of its Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo craft at Wallops Flight Facility. Launch opportunities for the Orbital-2 mission to the International Space Station begin July 12. Orb-2 is the company’s second operational resupply mission to the ISS under its Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. The Cygnus spacecraft is delivering almost 33-hundred pounds of cargo, including science experiments to expand the research capability of the Expedition 40 crew onboard the station.