Keep the shuttle flying: Fwd: Orbital ATK Successfully Launches Sixth Cargo Delivery Mission to International Space Station

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From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: October 18, 2016 at 6:42:14 AM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: Orbital ATK Successfully Launches Sixth Cargo Delivery Mission to International Space Station

Oct. 17, 2016
RELEASE 16-100
NASA Space Station Cargo Launches from Virginia on Orbital ATK Resupply Mission
The crew of the International Space Station soon will be equipped to perform dozens of new scientific investigations with cargo launched Monday aboard NASA's latest commercial resupply services mission from the agency's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft lifted off at 7:45 p.m. EDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's Pad 0A on the company's upgraded Antares 230 rocket carrying more than 5,100 pounds of cargo. Cygnus is scheduled to arrive at the space station Sunday, Oct. 23. Expedition 49 astronauts Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Kate Rubins of NASA will use the space station's robotic arm to grapple Cygnus, about 6 a.m.
This is the first flight on the upgraded Antares 230 launch vehicle, and the first launch from Wallops since an Antares rocket and its Cygnus spacecraft were lost in October 2014. It's also the third flight of an enhanced Cygnus spacecraft featuring a greater payload capacity, supported by new fuel tanks and UltraFlex solar arrays.
"It's great to see launches to the International Space Station happening again from the Virginia coast – and it shows what can be accomplish with a close partnership of federal and state agencies, along with the U.S. industry, all working together," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
The cargo aboard the Cygnus will support dozens of new and existing investigations as the space station crews of Expeditions 49 and 50 contribute to about 250 science and research studies. The new experiments include studies on fire in space, the effect of lighting on sleep and daily rhythms, collection of health-related data, and a new way to measure neutrons.
Low-temperature fires with no visible flames are known as cool flames. In previous combustion experiments aboard the space station, researchers observed cool flame burning behaviors not predicted by models or earlier investigations. The Cool Flames Investigation examines low-temperature combustion of droplets of a variety of fuels and additives in low gravity. Data from this investigation could help scientists develop more efficient advanced engines and new fuels for use in space and on Earth.
The Lighting Effects investigation tests a new lighting system aboard the station designed to enhance crew health and keep their body clocks in proper sync with a more regular working and resting schedule. The system uses adjustable light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a dynamic lighting schedule that varies the intensity and spectrum of the LEDs in tune with sleep and wake schedules. Research has shown that enhancing certain types of light can improve alertness and performance while other types can promote better sleep.
A user-friendly tablet app provides astronauts with a new and faster way to collect a wide variety of personal data. The EveryWear investigation tests use of a French-designed technology to record and transmit data on nutrition, sleep, exercise and medications. EveryWear has potential for use in science experiments, biomedical support and technology demonstrations.
Astronauts aboard the space station are exposed to space radiation that can reduce immune response, increase cancer risk, and interfere with electronics. The Fast Neutron Spectrometer investigation will help scientists understand high-energy neutrons, part of the radiation exposure experienced by crews during spaceflight, by studying a new technique to measure electrically neutral neutron particles.
The Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the space station until November before its destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere, disposing of about 3,000 pounds of trash.
The space station is a convergence of science, technology and human innovation that demonstrates new technologies and makes research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The station has been continuously occupied since November 2000. In that time, more than 200 people and a variety of international and commercial spacecraft have visited the station. The orbiting lab remains the springboard to NASA's next great leap in exploration, including future missions to an asteroid and Mars.
Keep up with the International Space Station, and its research and crews, at:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
Get breaking news, images and features from the station on Instagram and Twitter:
http://instagram.com/iss
and
http://www.twitter.com/Space_Station
Learn more about Orbital ATK's mission at:
http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk
-end-
Kathryn Hambleton
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov
Dan Huot
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
daniel.g.huot@nasa.gov
Last Updated: Oct. 17, 2016
Editor: Allard Beutel

Orbital ATK Successfully Launches Sixth Cargo Delivery Mission to International Space Station

Dulles, Virginia 17 October 2016 – Orbital ATK, Inc. (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, successfully launched its AntaresTM rocket carrying a CygnusTM spacecraft today at 7:45 p.m. EDT, marking its return to flight operations from NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch is Orbital ATK's sixth cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station for NASA. During the mission, designated OA-5, Cygnus will deliver vital equipment, supplies and experiments to astronauts aboard the space station, as well as conduct scientific experiments onboard Cygnus following undocking from the space station.
"Today's success is a credit to the dedication and hard work of the Orbital ATK employees who support our Antares and Cygnus programs," said Dave Thompson, Orbital ATK CEO. "They worked many long hours to successfully execute a plan that enabled us to continue to deliver cargo for NASA while implementing several upgrades to our Antares rocket."
The Antares medium-class rocket launched approximately 5,300 pounds (2,400 kilograms) of cargo to the crew of six that will be aboard the space station later this week. Following a nine-minute ascent, the S.S. Alan Poindexter spacecraft, named in honor of the late astronaut, was successfully deployed into orbit. Orbital ATK's engineering team confirmed that reliable communications have been established and that the vehicle's solar arrays are fully deployed, providing the necessary electrical power to operate the spacecraft.
"The Antares team has worked tirelessly over many months to prepare for this launch," said Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK's Flight Systems Group. "Congratulations to the entire Orbital ATK and NASA team on a successful launch."
Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group, added, "As a company headquartered in Virginia, we are proud to again launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. We are well prepared to continue delivering essential cargo to the International Space Station for years to come."
Cygnus will be grappled at approximately 7:05 a.m. EDT on Oct. 23. The spacecraft will remain attached to the International Space Station for approximately one month before departing with roughly 3,700 pounds (1,700 kilograms) of disposable cargo for a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. Cygnus' large-volume and pressurized disposal cargo capability, a critical service to NASA, is unique among America's commercial cargo providers.
For the current Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission, Cygnus is carrying the Saffire II payload experiment to study combustion behavior in microgravity, further demonstrating its versatility in conducting science experiments in space. Data from this experiment will be downloaded via telemetry. In addition, a NanoRacks deployer will release Spire Cubesats used for weather forecasting. These secondary payload operations will be conducted after Cygnus departs the space station.
Under the CRS-1 contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of cargo to the space station through 2018. NASA will manifest a variety of essential items based on space station program needs, including food, clothing, crew supplies, spare parts, laboratory equipment and scientific experiments.
Beginning in 2019, Orbital ATK will carry out a minimum of six initial cargo missions under NASA's recently awarded CRS-2 contract. The partnership is cultivating a robust American commercial space industry, freeing NASA to focus on developing the next-generation rocket and spacecraft that will enable humans to conduct deep space exploration missions.
The Cygnus system consists of a common service module and pressurized cargo module (PCM). The service module was built and tested at Orbital ATK's manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia. The enhanced Cygnus also uses Orbital ATK's UltraFlexTM solar arrays, which are the latest in lightweight, space-qualified, electrical power technology. Orbital ATK manufactured the arrays and composite structures at its Goleta and San Diego, California, facilities, and the propellant tanks for the Cygnus spacecraft at its Commerce, California, site.
The upgraded Antares rocket includes new RD-181 engines from Energomash, a core designed by Yuzhnoye and manufactured by Yuzhmash, as well as the Castor 30XL solid rocket motor second stage that is manufactured at Orbital ATK's facility in Magna, Utah.
B-roll and animation footage for the mission can be found here:
http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/bmc/#
Please note that media will need to request a PIN for access.
About Orbital ATK
Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies. The company designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation systems for customers around the world, both as a prime contractor and merchant supplier. Its main products include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced aerospace structures. Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital ATK employs approximately 12,000 people in 18 states across the U.S. and in several international locations. For more information, visit www.orbitalatk.com.
# # #
Antares Media Contact:
Trina Helquist (801) 699-0943
Launch Vehicles Division
Orbital ATK
trina.helquist@orbitalatk.com
Cygnus Media Contact:
Vicki Cox ((410) 409-8723
Space Systems Group Public Relations
Orbital ATK
vicki.cox@orbitalatk.com
Print Press Release
Media Contact
Trina Hequist
(801) 699-0943
trina.helquist@orbitalatk.com
©2016 Orbital ATK Inc. - All Rights Reserved.

By William Harwood CBS News October 17, 2016, 8:32 PM
In dramatic return to flight, Antares rocket delivers
Orbital ATK's redesigned Antares rocket, powered by two Russian-built RD-181 engines, thunders away from Wallops Island, Virginia, Monday on a flight to deliver more than 5,300 pounds of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. It was the first flight of an Antares rocket since a spectacular explosion seconds after liftoff in 2014. NASA

In a major milestone, a redesigned Antares rocket equipped with newer, more powerful Russian-built engines boosted a space station cargo ship into orbit Monday, the first flight of the Orbital ATK launcher since an older Russian engine triggered a spectacular 2014 explosion seconds after liftoff.
Running a day late because of trouble with ground equipment, the Antares' two RD-181 first-stage engines ignited with a burst of flame at 7:45 p.m. EDT (GMT-4) -- five minutes behind because of an unspecified problem -- throttled up to a ground-shaking 864,000 pounds of thrust and quickly pushed the 139-foot-tall rocket away into the night sky.
Burning liquid oxygen and refined kerosene, the Antares initially climbed straight up from pad OA at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport -- MARS -- at NASA's Wallops Island, Va., flight facility before arcing over onto a southeasterly trajectory over the Atlantic Ocean, launching directly into the plane of the space station's orbit.
Despite carrying some 5,100 pounds of station-bound equipment and supplies, the launching was as much a test flight as an operational mission. More than a few observers, remembering the spectacular explosion that destroyed the last Antares just after liftoff in 2014, felt a bit more nervousness than usual awaiting liftoff.
"We're always nervous, but we wouldn't have a rocket out there if we weren't confident we're ready to go," Mike Pinkston, Orbital's Antares program manager, said Saturday.
The stakes were especially high for NASA in the wake of a Sept. 1 launch pad explosion that destroyed a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during a pre-flight test at Cape Canaveral, knocking NASA's only other U.S. space station resupply contractor out of action for at least the next several months.
But the redesigned Antares chalked up a picture-perfect climb to space Monday, putting on a dramatic evening sky show for observers along the East Coast as it climbed away and accelerated toward orbit.
The RD-181 engines apparently worked as expected, shutting down four minutes after launch. Seconds later, the stage fell away and an Orbital ATK-built solid-fuel motor powering the rocket's second stage ignited for a three-minute burn to complete the boost out of the atmosphere.
Nine minutes after liftoff, the Cygnus cargo ship separated from the spent second stage and set off after the International Space Station. If all goes well, the cargo ship will catch up with the lab complex early Sunday, pulling up to within about 30 feet and then standing by for capture by the station's robot arm.
From there, flight controllers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston will pull the spacecraft in for berthing at the Earth-facing port of the forward Harmony module.
The Cygnus is delivering nearly 1,100 pounds of science gear, 1,290 pounds of food, clothing and supplies for the station's crew, 2,255 pounds of space station hardware, new laptop computers, spacewalk equipment and Russian hardware.
Equally important, if not more so, the Antares launch marked a major milestone for Orbital ATK and NASA, coming almost exactly two years after the last Antares exploded seconds into flight on Oct. 28, 2014.
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, powered by new Russian-built RD-181 engines, climbs away from Wallops Island, Va.
NASA
"This is a very exciting time for us," said Frank Culbertson, a former space shuttle commander who now serves as vice president of Orbital ATK. "I want to thank everyone who's had a part in getting us back to this point, getting ready for a launch after two years. A lot of hard work has gone into this."
Joel Montalbano, deputy director of the International Space Station program at the Johnson Space Center, said NASA "is glad to be back at Wallops."
"We've missed these guys, and we've missed seeing launches from here," he said Saturday. "The Orbital ATK team has done just a fantastic job getting us to where we are today, and we look forward to seeing another Cygnus spacecraft berthed to the International Space Station."
Orbital's 2014 launch failure was blamed on a turbopump in a Russian-built AJ-26 engine left over from the ill-fated Soviet moon rocket program. The resulting explosion destroyed the rocket, more than 5,000 pounds of needed station supplies and equipment and caused about $15 million in damage to pad OA at the MARS spaceport.
In the wake of the failure, Orbital managers decided to discard the 1970s-era Russian engines used in the five Antares rockets launched to that point and to replace them with more powerful RD-181 engines, built by Energomash in Russia.
In the meantime, Orbital purchased two Atlas 5 rockets from United Launch Alliance to help make up for the Antares failure and fulfill the company's $1.9 billion contract with NASA to deliver some 44,000 pounds of supplies and equipment through 2016. NASA subsequently purchased three more supply missions and Orbital won a follow-on contract to continue station resupply flights through 2024, the current space station retirement date.
To power the redesigned Antares, Orbital ATK reportedly ordered 20 RD-181 engines from Energomash, with two options for 20 engines each, in a deal Russian media outlets claimed was worth about $1 billion. Orbital officials disputed that number, saying the actual cost, even with options exercised, was much lower.
After capture by the station's robot arm Sunday, the Cygnus cargo ship will remain attached to the lab for about a month. As they unload the module over the next several weeks, the station astronauts will repack it with about 3,000 pounds of trash and no-longer-needed equipment.
Before falling back to Earth and burning up in the atmosphere, a final experiment will be carried out to study how fire propagates in weightlessness, a follow-on to research performed on an earlier mission.
"Fire is a significant risk in spacecraft, but the problem is not limited to the fire itself," said David Urban, principal investigator for Saffire-II experiment at NASA's Glenn Research Center. "You really have to understand how it interacts with the entire vehicle."
A fabric sample 3.2 feet long by 16 inches wide will be ignited in a vented enclosure mounted inside the Cygnus capsule. Cameras will record the fire and sensors will measure temperature and other factors. The video and data will be downlinked before the cargo ship plunges back into the atmosphere several days after leaving the station.
Another flame-related experiment will be carried up aboard the Cygnus and moved into the space station for operation. Known as "Cool Flames," the research is focused on how small droplets of fuel burn in the microgravity environment of space.
"As everyone probably knows, the combustion of liquid fuels is a major source of energy in the world today, and the research we're doing ... is targeted at improving our fundamental understanding of how liquid fuels burn," said Dan Dietrich, co-investigator at the Glenn Research Center.
Earlier experiments showed that some fuels can continue burning longer than expected. Such low-temperature flames are "very important in a wide range of real engines here on Earth," Dietrich said. "These low-temperature chemical reactions that are responsible for the burning are responsible for engine knocks in car engines and a lot of pre-ignition kinds of behavior.
"One of the research (interests) is to gain a better fundamental understanding of the chemistry behind these low-temperature reactions, they are very difficult to study on Earth."
© 2016 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

October 17, 2016 Video: Antares rocket returns to flight with new engines Antares

October 17, 2016 Cargo manifest for the OA-5 station resupply mission Antares

October 18, 2016 Video: Antares post-launch news conference Antares

© 2016 Spaceflight Now Inc.

Antares launches Cygnus on return-to-flight mission
by Jeff Foust — October 17, 2016
An Orbital ATK Antares lifts off Oct. 17 carrying a Cygnus cargo spacecraft. Credit: NASA TV
Updated at 10:55 p.m. Eastern.
WASHINGTON — In its first flight in nearly two years, an Orbital ATK Antares successfully launched a Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station Oct. 17.
The Antares lifted off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Virginia, at 7:45 p.m. Eastern, at the end of a five-minute launch window. The launch shifted from the beginning to the end of the window because of an unspecified but minor engine issue.
Frank Culbertson, president of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group, said at a post-launch press conference that the five-minute delay was designed to give controllers enough time to catch up in the final minutes of the countdown. "The launch conductor decided, to make sure we didn't miss anything in the checklist, to add five minutes," he said. "It made sure nobody skipped anything."
The launch itself went as planned, as the RD-181 engines in the first stage and the Castor 30XL motor in the second stage accelerated the Cygnus spacecraft, on a mission designated OA-5, into orbit. The Cygnus separated from the Antares' upper stage nine minutes after liftoff.
The launch was the first for the Antares since an October 2014 mission that suffered an engine failure seconds after liftoff, causing the vehicle to fall back to the ground and explode. That explosion caused $15 million in damage to the launch site. Orbital ATK decided shortly after that accident to replace the AJ26 engines previously used on the Antares with new RD-181 engines from NPO Energomash.
Culbertson said the upgraded Antares performed better than expected, putting the Cygnus in an orbit slightly higher than expected, but one that poses no issues for the spacecraft's arrival at the station. "Since it was the first flight of this configuration, we had fairly conservative estimates of what the results would be," he said. "The first stage was a little bit above what we expected."
The launch went through a number of delays. Once planned for August, NASA and Orbital ATK postponed the mission eventually to early October because of ISS schedules and additional time needed by the company to resolve issues found during a static-fire test of an Antares first stage at the end of May. Various technical and weather issues, including the passage of a hurricane that shut down a tracking station Bermuda, delayed the launch by several days to Oct. 16. A problem with a ground support equipment cable postponed the Oct. 16 launch.
The Cygnus, named the SS Alan Poindexter after the former astronaut who died in 2012, is carrying 2,425 kilograms of cargo for the ISS. That cargo includes science experiments, crew supplies and station hardware. Joel Montalbano, NASA space station deputy manager, said at an Oct. 15 briefing that NASA replaced ballast on the Cygnus with additional supplies and other cargo because of likely delays in upcoming SpaceX Dragon cargo flights after a Sept. 1 Falcon 9 pad explosion.
Cygnus will arrive at the ISS on Oct. 23. That arrival is later than usual because of the scheduled launch of the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft, carrying three new station crew members, on Oct. 19. That spacecraft will dock with the ISS Oct. 21. It will depart the station in late November, performing a combustion experiment and deploying several cubesats before reentering.

© 2016 SpaceNews, Inc. All rights reserved.

Orbital ATK's Antares Rocket Returns to Flight with Gorgeous Night Cargo Launch
By Hanneke Weitering, Staff Writer-Producer | October 17, 2016 07:50pm ET

http://www.space.com/34416-stunning-antares-rocket-return-to-flight-launch.html#ooid=xweHlzNjE6D8mMlX-l5x5kEW-OuRvHh3

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. — We have liftoff! For the first time in two years, an Orbital ATK Antares rocket has successfully launched into space, departing NASA's Wallops Flight Facility here this evening (Oct. 17) on a mission to deliver supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).
The upgraded Antares rocket soared into the night sky at 7:45 p.m. EDT (2345 GMT) today, topped with Orbital ATK's uncrewed Cygnus cargo capsule. Millions of observers along the U.S. East Coast had the opportunity to view the rocket's ascent, which was visible from as far north as Boston and as far south as central South Carolina.
After liftoff, Antares veered southeast on its way into low-Earth orbit. About 9 minutes into the mission, Cygnus entered orbit carrying its load of 5,100 lbs. (2,300 kilograms) of science experiments, hardware and other supplies for the astronauts aboard the ISS. [Photos: Antares Rocket Launches for 1st Time Since 2014]
An upgraded Orbital ATK Antares rocket soars into the night sky over NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia on Oct. 17, 2016, beginning a Cygnus cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station for NASA. It was Orbital ATK's first Antares rocket launch since a 2014 accident.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
How Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft service the space station. See how Orbital's Cygnus spacecraft and Antares rockets works in this infographic.
Credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com Infographics Artist
This is a high-stakes mission for the Virginia-based commercial spaceflight company Orbital ATK. Its last attempt at launching an Antares rocket, nearly two years ago, ended in a catastrophic explosion just a few seconds after liftoff from Pad-0A here at Wallops. The current mission, titled OA-5, is Orbital ATK's sixth official cargo resupply mission for NASA, and the fourth using an Antares rocket. (The two missions immediately following the October 2014 accident employed United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets.)
During a news conference here Saturday (Oct. 15), NASA officials and Orbital ATK representatives expressed confidence that OA-5 would go well. Dale Nash, executive director of Virginia's Commercial Space Flight Authority, said the Wallops launchpad — which cost $15 million to rebuild after the 2014 explosion — is in better shape than ever before. Nash said the OA-5 prelaunch tests went "extremely well," and that they were "two of the cleanest tests we've ever seen."
Despite the clean bill of health for Antares and the onboard Cygnus, an issue with one of the ground support cables at the launchpad just hours before launch time on Sunday (Oct. 16) forced NASA and Orbital ATK to postpone the launch by a day. A few days prior, Hurricane Nicole prompted a scrub of Thursday's (Oct. 13) planned launch as the Category 1 storm shut down Orbital ATK's tracking station in Bermuda.
Because the Antares launch date slipped several days, the Cygnus spacecraft's planned arrival now conflicts with the arrival of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft that will be delivering three astronauts to the ISS Friday (Oct. 21). Therefore, Cygnus will wait its turn, loitering in orbit until Sunday (Oct. 23), NASA officials said. [Gallery: Orbital Sciences' Cygnus Spaceship & Antares Rocket]
Under Orbital ATK's $1.9 billion contract with NASA, the private spaceflight company will carry about 66,000 lbs. (30,000 kg) of cargo to the space station over the course of 10 missions. Among Cygnus' cargo on OA-5 are a number of science experiments, supplies and hardware for spacewalks, as well as food and clothing for the astronauts.
Today's launch was the first to use Orbital ATK's new and improved Antares 230 rocket. The updated launch system uses Russian-made RD-181 rocket engines in place of AJ26 engines, which were implicated in the October 2014 accident.
When Antares' engines ignited this evening, it took the rocket 3.6 seconds to lift off and about 8 seconds to completely exit its support structure. Shortly after liftoff, the rocket wiggled slightly. Gut-wrenching as it may have looked, this wobbling motion was nothing to worry about; the rocket was intentionally designed to wiggle to avoid placing its fiery plume directly over the transporter-erector vehicle at the launchpad, Orbital ATK general manager Mike Pinkston said at a news conference.
Once deployed in orbit, Cygnus separated from Antares and began to unfold its solar panels — a process that takes about 15 minutes. The spacecraft then revved up its propulsion system to start maneuvering toward the space station. Orbital ATK named the Cygnus flying on this flight the S.S. Alan Poindexter, in honor of the late NASA astronaut Alan Poindexter.
Cygnus should arrive at its space station destination on Sunday (Oct. 23), NASA officials said. During its trip, Cygnus will orbit Earth every 90 minutes at about 17,500 mph (28,200 km/h) while gradually increasing its altitude. When it's ready to rendezvous, a robotic grapple arm will extend from the ISS, grab Cygnus and attach or "berth" it to the space station.
After unloading the cargo, astronauts on the ISS will fill Cygnus with up to about 5,100 lbs. (2,300 kg) of "disposal cargo" — garbage, in other words. Sometime between 10 and 90 days into the mission, Cygnus will leave the space station and head back to Earth. The spacecraft and all that trash should burn up entirely upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. There is little to no risk that it will hit the ground, NASA officials said. But just in case, the spacecraft's trajectory during re-entry will take it to an unpopulated area to minimize any risk.
Orbital ATK is now tracking Cygnus from its mission control center in Dulles, Virginia, while NASA follows the spacecraft from the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Monday, October 17, 2016 04:45 Blastoff! Upgraded Antares Rocket Launches Cygnus To Space Station | Video
The Orbital ATK cargo spacecraft launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Oct. 17, 2016. This was the return to flight for the Antares rocket, which was redesigned after its last launch failure.

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Новости

ЭНЕРГОМАШ. УСПЕШНЫЙ ПУСК АМЕРИКАНСКОЙ РН ANTARES С РОССИЙСКИМИ ДВИГАТЕЛЯМИ РД-181
18.10.2016 09:30
Сегодня, 18 октября 2016 года, ракета-носитель (РН) Antares-230 с двигателями РД-181 разработки и производства «НПО Энергомаш им. ак. В.П.Глушко» в составе ее первой ступени успешно стартовала из Среднеатлантического регионального космопорта на острове Уоллопс (штат Виргиния, США).

Пуск осуществлен в 19:45:40 17 октября (02:45:40 мск 18 октября). Двигатели РД-181 отработали в полном соответствии с полетной программой, и через 214 секунд произошло разделение первой ступени и ракеты-носителя.

«Я не сомневался в благополучном исходе запуска. Наша техника в очередной раз подтвердила надежность и эффективность. Первая ступень отработала штатно, замечаний у американской стороны нет. Нас ждет дальнейшая плодотворная работа в рамках текущего контракта с Orbital ATK, и я не исключаю, что результат этого пуска послужит основой для расширения международного сотрудничества», - прокомментировал итоги запуска генеральный директор АО «НПО Энергомаш им. ак. В.П.Глушко» Игорь АРБУЗОВ.

Контракт на поставку восьми двигателей РД-181 был подписан в декабре 2014 г., и уже летом 2015 г. первые товарные двигатели РД-181 были поставлены в США. Производство и поставки жидкостных ракетных двигателей (ЖРД) РД-181 продолжаются в соответствии с условиями контракта.

РД-181 принадлежит семейству жидкостных ракетных двигателей РД-170/171 и представляет собой однокамерный ЖРД с вертикально расположенным турбонасосным агрегатом. Двигатель дросселируется по тяге в диапазоне 100% - 47%, управление вектором тяги - 5º. В 2014 году была выпущена конструкторская документация, в начале 2015 года проведено первое огневое испытание двигателя РД-181, а в мае 2015 года успешно завершена сертификация этого двигателя.

АО «НПО Энергомаш им. ак. В.П.Глушко» (входит в Госкорпорацию «РОСКОСМОС») - разработчик и производитель мощных жидкостных ракетных двигателей первой ступени для российских и зарубежных ракет-носителей космического назначения. Двигатели, разработанные предприятием, устанавливаются практически на все российские ракеты-носители: СОЮЗ, ПРОТОН, АНГАРА и на американские ATLASV и ANTARES.

Energomash. SUCCESSFUL START AMERICAN RN ANTARES with Russian engines RD-181
18.10.2016 9:30
Today, 18 October 2016, the launch vehicle (LV) Antares-230 RD-181 design and manufacture of "NPO Energomash named. ak. VPGlushko "as part of its first stage was successfully launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island (Virginia, USA).

Start 19:45:40 performed in October 17th (2:45:40 MSK 18 October). RD-181 engines have worked in full accordance with the flight program, and after 214 seconds was the separation of the first stage and the launcher.

"I had no doubt in the successful outcome of the launch. Our equipment has once again confirmed the reliability and efficiency. The first stage worked normally, notes the American side does not. We are waiting for further fruitful work under the current contract with Orbital ATK, and I do not exclude that the result of the start-up will be the basis for the expansion of international cooperation ", - commented on the launch of the results of the general director of JSC" NPO Energomash named. ak. VPGlushko "Igor watermelon.

The contract for the supply of eight engines RD-181 was signed in December 2014, and in the summer of 2015 the first product of RD-181 engines were delivered in the United States. Production and delivery of liquid rocket engines (LRE) RD-181 continues in accordance with the terms of the contract.

RD-181 belongs to the family of liquid rocket engines RD-170/171 and is a single-chamber rocket engine with a vertically positioned turbopump assembly. The engine is throttled on the draft in the range of 100% - 47%, thrust vector control - 5º. In 2014 it was released design documentation, in early 2015 conducted the first firing test of RD-181 engine, and in May 2015 successfully completed the certification of the engine.

JSC "NPO Energomash named. ak. VPGlushko "(part of the state corporation" Roscosmos ") - a developer and manufacturer of high-power liquid rocket engines of the first stage for the Russian and foreign carrier rockets for space purposes. Engines designed now, installed in almost all Russian launch vehicles: Soyuz, Proton, Angara and American ATLASV and ANTARES.

Государственная корпорация по космической деятельности "РОСКОСМОС"
107996, ГСП-6, г. Москва, ул. Щепкина, д.42
Тел.: +7 (495) 631-97-61
Факс: +7 (495) 688-90-63

Antares launches from Virginia
James Dean , FLORIDA TODAY 8:06 p.m. EDT October 17, 2016

The Orbital Antares rocket that exploded during a launce at the NASA facility in Virginia costs more than $200 million itself. NASA has also reported significant ground damage at its facility.
(Photo: Orbital ATK)
Update, Oct. 17, 7:53 p.m.: Antares launched at the end of its 5-minute window and reached orbit about 9 minutes later.
Launch coverage: Watch the Antares launch live
Update: Sunday's planned launch of an Antares rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia has been postponed to 7:40 p.m. EDT Monday, Oct. 17. A ground support equipment cable did not perform as expected during a pre-launch check.
For the first time in two years, an Antares rocket is poised to blast off from Virginia's Eastern Shore.
Orbital ATK is targeting an 8:03 p.m. Sunday return to flight of the redesigned rocket, now powered by a pair of Russian RD-181 main engines.
Atop the rocket is an unmanned Cygnus cargo module carrying nearly 5,300 pounds of food, equipment and experiments to the International Space Station.
The last time an Antares lifted off from Wallops Island, on Oct. 28, 2014, its flight was short-lived.
The rocket rose briefly, then fell back to the ground with a tremendous explosion after a failure by decades-old Russian engines that had been refurbished.
Since then, Orbital ATK launched two Cygnus mission's from Cape Canaveral on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket. The stakes are high again because SpaceX, NASA's other commercial launcher of station cargo, is investigating a Falcon 9 rocket's Sept. 1 launch pad explosion, and it's unclear how soon it will fly again.
The Antares launch was delayed a few days when Hurricane Nicole threatened a Bermuda tracking station, which suffered only minor damage.

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The Orbital ATK Antares rocket topped with the Cygnus cargo spacecraft launches from Pad-0A, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's sixth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer

Antares 'Return to Flight' Blastoff Soars to Stellar Success
Article Updated: 18 Oct , 2016
by Ken Kremer

The Orbital ATK Antares rocket topped with the Cygnus cargo spacecraft launches from Pad-0A, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's sixth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer
NASA WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY, VA – The 'Return to Flight' blastoff of Orbital ATK's upgraded Antares rocket soared to a stellar success this evening, Oct. 17, on a space station bound mission to stock the orbiting outpost with two and a half tons of science and supplies.
The re-engined Orbital ATK Antares/Cygnus OA-5 mission lifted off at 7:40 p.m. EDT, tonight from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's picturesque Eastern shore spewing about 1.2 million pounds of liftoff thrust and brilliantly lighting up the evening skies in every direction.
Sporting a pair of more powerful new RD-181 engines, Antares roared off the launch pad somewhat more swiftly than the previous launches and consequently reached its preliminary orbit about one minute earlier.
Cygnus separated from the second stage as planned about 9 minutes after liftoff. The launch marked the first nighttime liftoff of Antares.
"It's great to see launches to the International Space Station happening again from the Virginia coast – and it shows what can be accomplish with a close partnership of federal and state agencies, along with the U.S. industry, all working together," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
"I am incredibly proud of what you have all done," said Bolden in post launch remarks to the launch team at Wallops Launch Control Center. "Thank you for all your hard work."
Antares launch on Oct. 17, 2016 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: © Patrick J. Hendrickson / Highcamera.com
This was the first Antares launch in two years following the rockets catastrophic failure just moments after liftoff on Oct. 28, 2014, which doomed the Orb-3 resupply mission to the space station – as witnessed by this author.
The weather was absolutely perfect at 100% GO by launch time and consequently was visible to millions of East Coast residents from the Carolinas to Maine as well as inland regions.
Visibility was aided by cloudless evening skies that afforded a spectacular long distance view of the engine firings for both the first and second stages, as the rocket accelerated to orbit in a southeastwardly direction before arcing over towards the African continent.
The power producing and life giving solar arrays were deployed and unfurled about two hours after liftoff, finished at about 9:40 p.m.
Cygnus is loaded with over 5,100 pounds of science investigations, food, supplies and hardware for the space station and its crew.
Antares launch on Oct. 17, 2016 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: © Patrick J. Hendrickson / Highcamera.com
After Cygnus arrives at the ISS on Sunday, Oct. 23, Expedition 49 Flight Engineers Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Kate Rubins of NASA will grapple the spacecraft with the space station's 57 foot long Canadian-built robotic arm. It will take hold of the Cygnus,
Ground controllers will then command the station's arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station's earth facing Unity module.
The Cygnus spacecraft will spend about five weeks attached to the space station. Cygnus will remain at the space station until November, when the spacecraft will depart the station and begin a fire experiment dubbed Saffire-II.
The 14 story tall commercial Antares rocket launched for the first time in the upgraded 230 configuration – powered by a pair of the new Russian-built RD-181 first stage engines.
For the OA-5 mission, the Cygnus advanced maneuvering spacecraft was loaded with approximately 2,425 kg (5,346 lb.) of supplies and science experiments for the International Space Station (ISS). The cargo was packed inside 56 cargo bags of multiple sizes.
The experiments will support dozens of new and existing investigations as the space station crews of Expeditions 49 and 50 contribute to about 250 science and research studies.
Among the science payloads aboard the Cygnus OA-5 mission is the Saffire II payload experiment to study combustion behavior in microgravity. Data from this exp,eriment will be downloaded via telemetry. In addition, a NanoRack deployer will release Spire Cubesats used for weather forecasting. These secondary payload operations will be conducted after Cygnus departs the space station.
Here is the Cygnus payload manifest:
Payloads:
• Spacecraft Fire Experiment-II (Saffire-II)
• Fast Neuron Spectrometer
• ACM and Experiment Tray
• SLMMD
Cargo:
• ISS Experiment Hardware
• EVA Equipment– EMU Repair Kit– EVA Supplies
• Emergency Equipment
• Photo/TV and Computer Resources– Computer – iPad Air 2
– Laptop – T61P and Connectors – Camera – Nikon D4
• ISS Hardware and Spare ORUs – Cupola Scratch Panes
– Water ORU
• Food, Crew Supplies and Crew Provisions
• Flight Crew Equipment
• Cargo Environment SensorsAdditional payload details can be found at www.nasa.gov/iss-science.
The Cygnus spacecraft for the OA-5 mission is named the S.S. Alan G. Poindexter in honor of former astronaut and Naval Aviator Captain Alan Poindexter.
Under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately 28,700 kilograms of cargo to the space station. OA-5 is the sixth of these missions.
Watch for Ken's continuing Antares/Cygnus mission and launch reporting. He is reporting from on site at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, VA during the launch campaign.

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