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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185647.png) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK  (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 31 мин.31 минуту назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/843836861562982401)

As we prep for this week's OA-7 mission, our #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) team is making progress for next #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) mission @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) http://bit.ly/AntaresOA8  (https://t.co/ISUdAVBmwO)
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Orbital ATK Antares Stands Ready to Support Eighth CRS Mission for NASA

 
As we prepare to launch the Cygnus OA-7 mission fr om NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Orbital ATK's Antares team at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility is making great progress on the company's eighth Cargo Resupply Mission (known as OA-8 ) to the International Space Station. The team plans to have Antares fully integrated and ready for the Cygnus payload by May.
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/232249.jpg)

Antares vehicle in the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) on Wallops Island. Photo by NASA/Patrick Black
 

OA-8 Fun Fact  The OA-8 mission will carry 3350kg of cargo to the space station onboard a Cygnus spacecraft. This will be the largest amount of cargo to be carried on an Antares mission to date and is the equivalent of sending more than three classrooms or 105 fifth graders to space!

"We are working a steady cadence at our home port in Wallops," said Kurt Eberly, Antares Deputy Program Manager for Orbital ATK. "Our plan is to be ready in advance of when NASA needs us to fly."

This week the team installed the aft bay over the fully integrated RD-181 engines on the first stage core. This milestone marks the completion of successful installation of all feed lines and completion of leak checks between the first stage core propellant tanks and the engines. The team has also completed all of the electrical system checks of the first stage.

In parallel, the large second stage Castor 30XL motor supplied by our Propulsion Systems Division in Utah has been going through mechanical integration including motor cone and avionics structure installations.

The Antares avionics structure is built and tested by the Orbital ATK team in Chandler, Arizona, then shipped to Wallops for integration. The avionics structure is fully populated with the components that control Antares during flight including the navigator, flight computer and telemetry systems.
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/232250.jpg)

Antares Team is installing the Aft Bay on the OA-8 vehicle. Photo by NASA/Patrick Black

"This program combines the best capabilities of our merged company with our propulsion and launch vehicles teams," said Eberly. "For this mission we are really seeing the smooth operations that come fr om having a combined team of expertise that makes Orbital ATK."

In May, the team will mate the first and second stage, complete flight simulation testing and then lift and transer the fully-assembled vehicle onto the Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL) wh ere it will be ready for the Cygnus mate. The Antares team will be ready to launch OA-8 as early as this summer, and OA-9 as early as the end of this year. The specific launch dates for these missions will be sel ected jointly with NASA as we get closer to these time frames. Once OA-8 is complete, the Antares team will begin integrating the OA-9 vehicle.
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/232251.jpg)

Antares OA-8 Vehicles on the left is preparing for launch this fall. The OA-9 first stage sits to the right. Photo by NASA/Patrick Black

"The goal of the program is to achieve an efficient, steady integration flow for the next set of Antares launches. Our Lanch Vehicles Division program personnel at Chandler and Dulles along with our Propulsion Systems Division motor team in Utah are critical to making sure that the fully integrated hardware assemblies and released software are delivered on time and in the right configuration to our field site to enable our operations team to execute the planned schedule activities each and every day," said Eberly. "So a big thank you to everyone that supports the Antares program!"

Along with the vehicle integrations, Virginia Space has fully completed the pad readiness after the OA-5 flight last fall.

"Virginia Space is ready to support the upcoming missions, OA-8 and OA-9 from MARS," said Dale Nash, Virginia Space Executive Director. "We look forward to getting Antares on the pad and ready to take cargo to the crews aboard the space station."
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/232252.jpg)

MARS Pad 0A is ready to support missions fr om Antares home port in Wallops Island, Virginia. Photo courtesy of Virginia Space

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185647.png) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/854405172914769921)

Next #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) mission is planned for September out of @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) on #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) - Culbertson

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Looking ahead to OA-8:

Conclusion of the OA-7 mission will firmly shift attention for Orbital ATK to the next Cygnus flight – the OA-8E mission, which is scheduled to launch later this summer aboard the company's Antares rocket (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/08/enhanced-cygnus-help-orbital-atk-crs-contract-2017/).

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The OA-8E mission represents the first of four flights of Orbital ATK under its extended contract with NASA for Cygnus operations.

Спойлер

The extension to the CRS-1 (Commercial Resupply Services 1) contract award was made by NASA to both SpaceX and Orbital ATK based on delays the CRS-2 contract awards and the commencement of those flights in 2019 (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/02/orbital-atk-2017-cygnus-antares-enhancements-2019/).

Specifically for OA-8E, preparations are well underway at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) in Virginia.

According to Frank DeMauro, Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Programs Division for Orbital ATK Space Systems Group, "Preparations for OA-8 are going very well.  For Cygnus, the PCM is already at Wallops and the Service Module has completed all testing and is ready to be shipped to Wallops approximately 45 days prior to launch.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209187.png)

"The Antares team is also making great progress towards launch.  The hardware is in excellent shape and the team is ready to go."

Specifically for Antares, the Castor 30XL second stage (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=Castor+30XL) has been going through mechanical integration including motor cone and avionics structure installations – with everything on track for launch later this year.

While all launches to the Space Station (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=Space+Station) are based on a variety of factors, including crew time, visiting vehicle schedules, and supply needs, Orbital ATK states that they will be ready to support a launch "later this summer."

According to Mr. DeMauro, "The final launch date will be determined jointly by NASA and Orbital ATK based on hardware readiness and NASA traffic and cargo requirements."

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208986.jpg)

At the post-launch news conference for the OA-7 mission back in April, it was stated that OA-8E was targeting a launch in the September time frame.

This would place the mission, under the currently understood visiting vehicle schedule for the ISS, between SpaceX's CRS-12 mission, which is slated to launch No Earlier Than 1 August 2017, and the CRS-13 mission, which is currently targeting a launch sometime in November.

OA-8E will be the second and final flight of Cygnus in 2017, with the OA-9E mission now slated to occur in 2018.

OA-8E will carry ~3,350kg of cargo up to the ISS, marking the heaviest payload yet for the Antares rocket.

(Images: Orbital ATK, NASA)

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186111.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 49 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/873971520057618436)

Tune in tomorrow 10am ET for live updates on our OA-8 mission on @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) ustream http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops ... (https://t.co/Z1DbsfEiXX) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 7 мин.назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/874267302925127681)

The reassuring tones of Frank Culbertson. Four more CRS1 Cygnus launches on the contract. Six more with CRS2 contract, starts 2019.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163461.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/874268024592879616)

Two Antares in the HIF. Next Cygnus is going to arrive soon. September is the target for the next launch, but *could* go in August.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163460.jpg)

 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/874268828724858881)

Eberly: planning next Antares/Cygnus launch, OA-8, scheduled for September, but could launch as soon as August depending on NASA needs.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 47 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/874269913912926208)

(Hopefully their launch preparations are better than this webcast. Audio quality all over the place.)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 36 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/874272334739144706)

In a rare bit of clear audio, Culberson says the targeted launch date for OA-8 is Sept. 12, but subject to change by NASA.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/874272755591639042)

Eberly: we are actively pursuing other missions for Antares outside the CRS contract, but can't discuss details.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/874273004578013184)

Culbertson: could launch OA-9 as soon as November, if NASA wants to go again that soon. OA-8 could be ready as early as late July if needed.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/874273560323383296)

Culbertson: planning to carry 3,350 kg of cargo on both OA-8 and OA-9.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186111.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/874286848314683393)

The OA-8 #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) rocket is fully assembled and awaiting integration with #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) at @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163472.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186111.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 36 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/874289528684638209)

#Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) 230 engines stand ready to support the OA-8 mission
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163477.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186111.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 31 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/874291047341469697)

Media visits @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Launch Pad 0A, which is ready for #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) OA-8 @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163459.jpg)

ЦитироватьCygnus vessels : carrying supplies to the International Space Station!

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220943.jpg)  (https://www.youtube.com/user/thethalesgroup) Thales (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBUSZK1OyuyHpZnGilUzj9g)

Опубликовано: 20 июн. 2017 г.

Cygnus are resupply vessels dedicated to carry cargo to the International Space Station.
The vessels are developed by Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA) as part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) developmental program. Each spacecraft carries a Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) developed by Thales Alenia Space for Orbital, used to transport crew supplies, spare parts and scientific experiments to the International Space Station.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 20 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/889508454431326209)

Schedule of upcoming ISS launches/landings from Sam Scimemi's talk at the NAC HEO committee meeting. One change: SpX-12 now Aug. 14, not 12.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/165021.jpg)

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK kicks off follow-on station cargo contract, targets next Antares launch in October
August 3, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/08/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

As Orbital ATK engineers aim for the next launch of the company's Antares rocket fr om Virginia this fall, early planning for missions to keep the International Space Station supplied through the early 2020s is already underway.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126598.jpg)
A view inside Orbital ATK's horizontal integration facility at Wallops Island, Virginia, in June. This image shows components of the Antares rocket slated to launch this fall. Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

The Cygnus supply ship is booked for at least 10 more hardware delivery missions to the space station, joining SpaceX's Dragon freighter and Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser space plane in the U.S. fleet of unpiloted commercial cargo transporters under contract to NASA.

Orbital ATK plans to send heavier loads, and perhaps large unpressurized elements, to the space station in the future. SpaceX's Dragon and Japan's HTV supply ship currently haul up payload packages and spare parts for mounting outside the complex.

NASA has penciled in Oct. 11 for Orbital ATK's next station cargo launch aboard an Antares rocket from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, a launch complex located NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager of Orbital ATK's advanced programs division, said the company's rocket and spacecraft teams would be ready to launch as soon as NASA confirms the space station is ready to receive the robotic cargo craft.

"With Cygnus, the hardware is ready to go to the next phase, which is launch site integration," DeMauro said in a recent interview with Spaceflight Now. "Antares is also in great shape. They've completed all their integration and testing, and they've gotten it all the way to the point wh ere they're ready for their next phase of integration."

"The Antares rocket, as well as the Cygnus spacecraft that it will launch on the next cargo mission to the space station are now essentially built and tested and ready for cargo loading at the Wallops Island launch site," said David Thompson, president and CEO of Orbital ATK, during a quarterly call with investment analysts Thursday. "We were, and are, on schedule to carry (cargo loading) out this month, but I think NASA's going to delay that probably until October in order to provie a full load of cargo."

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126599.jpg)
File photo of an Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft prepared for launch earlier his year on an Atlas 5 rocket in Florida. Credit: NASA/Cory Huston

"There's one particular item, a spare part or subsystem for the space station, that they'd like us to carry on this mission, and that cargo element is going to pace the launch and it's running a bit later than previously expected," Thompson said.

Orbital ATK officials said in June they could be ready to launch the next Antares rocket before the end of the summer, with liftoff then targeted for Sept. 12.

The launch date has been rescheduled for Oct. 11, according to Sam Scimemi, director for the International Space Station program at NASA Headquarters. Scimemi briefed members of the NASA Advisory Council's human exploration and operations committee on the station's status in late July.

DeMauro said the Cygnus spacecraft, which comes in two major pieces, is nearly ready for the flight this fall, named OA-8 in Orbital ATK's mission sequence. The ship's pressurized cargo module, transported from its Thales Alenia Space factory in Turin, Italy, is at Wallops, and the Cygnus service module for the OA-8 mission has completed testing at Orbital ATK's manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia, and is ready for the trip to Wallops launch site, he said.

Thompson said Thursday that the OA-8 launch delay makes it unlikely the company can fit two more station cargo flights this year. The next one, OA-9, is expected to lift off in the first quarter of 2018, and DeMauro said the Italian-built cargo module for that Cygnus spacecraft is already at Wallops, too.

Three of Orbital ATK's last four Cygnus flights have lifted off on United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rockets as engineers redesigned the Antares first stage propulsion system in the wake of a launch failure in October 2014. The first Antares launch with new Russian-made RD-181 engines last October went well, officials said, increasing the weight of cargo that can be lofted by the rocket.

The earlier version of the Antares could send an "enhanced" Cygnus spacecraft — flying with a lengthened cargo module — packed with up to 5,950 pounds (2,700 kilograms) of supplies to the space station. Engineers initially predicted the upgraded Antares could lift up to 7,050 pounds (3,200 kilograms) of cargo and experiments, but the redesigned rocket performed better than expected, and the OA-8 mission will be capable of hauling up to 7,385 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of payloads to the space station, according to Kurt Eberly, the Antares program manager at Orbital ATK.

"We've done a detailed data review from all the data on that mission, and it was a very clean mission," Eberly said in a June press briefing. "Very good performance. We got a little more energy out of the first stage and the second stage than we were counting on. We always put a little margin in, and it turns out we can release a lot of that margin, and that's helping us achieve some of these higher performance levels."

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126600.jpg)
The last Antares rocket launch in October 2016 marked the first flight of the redesigned first stage with new RD-181 main engines. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

By the time Orbital ATK launches its 11th cargo mission, a flight scheduled no earlier than December 2018, officials said the Antares/Cygnus combination will be able to deliver more than 7,700 pounds (3,500 kilograms) of logistics and provisions to the space station per launch.

The new RD-181 engines produce more thrust than the Antares rocket's previous AJ26 engines, and they burn their kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants more efficiently.

Eberly said mission designers took a conservative approach on the Antares launch last October, the first with RD-181 engines.

"We flew to a delta velocity threshold," Eberly said. "When we hit that, we shut down the engines. We had a lot of fuel left in the tanks. Now, we're just going to move that threshold a little higher and burn more of the fuel in the first stage. At that point in the flight regime, the acceleration is pretty high because the stage is pretty light. Most of the propellant is gone, so you actually pick up quite a bit of performance by burning just a few more seconds into that propellant residual in the tanks."

NASA awarded Orbital ATK — then called Orbital Sciences — its first commercial resupply contract alongside SpaceX in December 2008. The space agency sel ected the companies to ferry equipment to the space station after the space shuttle's retirement.

Each company has suffered one launch failure while attempting to deliver supplies to the station.

NASA asked for bids again in 2014 for contracts to meet the station's logistic's needs from 2019 through 2024, and again chose Orbital ATK and SpaceX. The agency added Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser spaceplane as a third cargo transportation provider. Each company is guaranteed at least six missions under the new cargo contract.

DeMauro said Orbital ATK's future missions will give NASA flexibility in choosing what type of equipment it needs to haul to the orbital research outpost.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126601.jpg)
File photo of a Cygnus spacecraft arriving at the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Starting in 2019, station managers can pick between three different types of Cygnus resupply missions.

"The first mission type is a pressurized cargo mission on Antares, very similar to what we're flying on OA-8 to OA-11," DeMauro said in a July 11 interview. "Those will have a little bit more cargo capacity, but it's an Antares-based mission.

"The second mission type is an Atlas-based mission," he said. "It's still a pressurized cargo mission, but it has even more cargo. We included that as an option for NASA just so they could optimize what they wanted in terms of cargo delivery from our system."

The Antares missions will continue to lift off from Virginia, while future Atlas 5 launches with Cygnus cargo carriers will depart from Cape Canaveral. Thales Alenia Space would build a bigger version of the Cygnus pressurized cargo module for the Atlas 5 flights, DeMauro said.

"The third mission type is an unpressurized cargo mission, and that's based on Antares," DeMauro said.
 "So two of the three are Antares-based and one is Atlas-based, and we included that Atlas-based mission (option) just to give NASA the flexibility for a larger pressurized cargo delivery."

Orbital ATK's concept for the unpressurized cargo system would involve removing the Cygnus pressurized cabin from the service module and adding a platform to hold experiments and spare parts that will go outside the space station. Many of those components are the size of a coffee table.

"You can think of it as having various shelving and strongback structures to be able to carry those big ORUs (Orbital Replacement Units) up inside an Antares," DeMauro said.

NASA has authorized the first of the six Cygnus flights planned from 2019 through 2014. Named OA-12, that mission will launch on an Antares booster fr om Wallops Island with pressurized cargo.

"We have 6 missions that have been contracted for on CRS-2," said Frank Culbertson, a former astronaut and president of Orbital ATK's space systems group. "The first one has been given a go-ahead for activity, so we are doing long-lead purchasing, beginning the process to ... start building the structure. That one should launch in, we hope, 2019."

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 21 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/894604294321721344)

Skrobot showed chart of upcoming Educational Launch of Nanosatellites missions. (Some dates will change...) #smallsat (https://twitter.com/hashtag/smallsat?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/165642.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 53 мин назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/896062313848905728)

Orbital ATK, at @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA)'s direction, is now targeting Nov. 10, 2017 for launch of the OA-8 mission to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) http://bit.ly/2hRPQUq  (https://t.co/SHTfF0lYtw)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/165463.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/165464.jpg)

Цитировать

Mission Update: OA-8 Space Station Cargo Resupply

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/232245.jpg)

Launch:	November 10, 2017
Launch Site:	MARS Pad 0A, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia
Mission Customer:	NASA

Mission Update - August 11, 2017

Orbital ATK, at NASA's direction, is now targeting November 10 for launch of the OA-8 mission to the International Space Station, solely based on NASA's revised ISS traffic planning and cargo needs. Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to launch aboard an Antares launch vehicle for the sixth time from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will deliver vital equipment, supplies and scientific equipment to the space station as part of Orbital ATK's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. Integration and test of the Antares launch vehicle and Cygnus spacecraft are complete and both were processed to support a mission as early as September of this year. Final preparations for the mission will begin in early October to support the new November 10 target launch date.

ЦитироватьUpcoming ELaNa CubeSat Launches

ELaNa XIII
 Date:  NET Nov 10, 2017
 Mission:  OA-8/OA-8E – Antares, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia
 2 CubeSat Missions scheduled to be deployed
 

[/li]
• ISARA – Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
• EcAMSat – NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
  

ЦитироватьStation managers push back next Cygnus cargo flight to November
August 16, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/08/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126682.jpg)
A photo of the Antares rocket's twin RD-181 engines installed on the rocket slated to launch Orbital ATK's next Cygnus supply ship to the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital ATK

NASA and Orbital ATK have agreed to schedule the launch of the next Cygnus supply ship for Nov. 10 from Wallops Island on Virginia's Eastern Shore, a delay of a month from the mission's earlier target launch date to allow the flight to carry more cargo to the International Space Station, officials said.

Спойлер

The new launch date also will allow time for station astronauts to complete three spacewalks in late October and early November to swap out a latching end effector on the station's Canadian-built robotic arm and complete other maintenance tasks, according to Dan Hartman, NASA's deputy space station program manager.

If the Nov. 10 date holds, liftoff of the automated cargo mission on top of an Antares rocket will occur around 8:02 a.m. EST (1302 GMT), roughly the moment Earth's rotation brings the Wallops launch base in the flight path of the space station, according to an Orbital ATK spokesperson.

"With the slip of one month, we're able to get new cargo that we need up to the station, on the order of about 400 kilograms (880 pounds)," Hartman said Sunday. "So a significant increase in the amount of mass we can take up."

Some specific items NASA wants delivered to the space station would not have been ready in time for the previous Oct. 11 launch date.

The next mission by NASA's other cargo delivery provider, SpaceX, will slip from early November to early December in the schedule shuffle. SpaceX's latest cargo flight arrived at the space station Wednesday, two days after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Orbital ATK said in a statement that the delay of the next Cygnus cargo mission, named OA-8, was decided by NASA and was "solely based on NASA's revised ISS traffic planning and cargo needs."
The flight will ferry experiments, supplies and spare parts to the space station.

"Integration and test of the Antares launch vehicle and Cygnus spacecraft are complete and both were processed to support a mission as early as September of this year," Orbital ATK said. "Final preparations for the mission will begin in early October to support the new November 10 target launch date."

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126683.jpg)
File photo of a Cygnus supply ship's pressurized cargo module. Credit: Orbital ATK

The mission will be the Orbital ATK's eighth operational logistics flight to the space station, and the fifth to lift off from Wallops on the company's own Antares booster. Three others flew on United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rockets from Cape Canaveral.

Hartman said the space station has plenty of supplies, and the delays of the next two U.S. cargo flights will have no impact to the research lab's operations.

"Our consumables are in very, very good shape on-board the International Space Station," Hartman said. "So the slip there will have absolutely no impact to a crew of four," he said, referring to the four astronauts from NASA and the European Space Agency who are part of the outpost's overall six-person crew.

Спойлер

NASA managers recently approved a plan to conduct three spacewalks in late October and early November, Hartman said.

Astronauts will replace a latching end effector on the space station's 58-foot-long Canadian-built robotic arm during the excursions. Engineers have noticed some fraying on wires inside the end of the arm, components used to grasp cargo ships as they arrive at the space station and transfer experiments and payloads around the outside of the complex, Hartman said.

The spacewalkers will also change out lights and cameras outside the space station.

Meanwhile, Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Sergey Ryazanskiy planned to head outside the station Thursday to release five small satellites and work on experiments on the outside of the Russian segment of the complex.

Yurchikhin will be joined by NASA astronauts Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer for return to Earth on Sept. 2. Three fresh crew members will launch on a new Soyuz spaceship Sept. 12 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

A Russian Progress cargo and refueling freighter will launch Oct. 12 from Baikonur, followed by the next Orbital ATK and SpaceX resupply runs in November and December.

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ЦитироватьSept. 29, 2017
MEDIA ADVISORY M17-113

NASA Opens Media Accreditation for November Space Station Cargo

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207865.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/m17-113.jpg)
Media accreditation is open for the launch of the eighth Orbital ATK cargo resupply flight to the International Space Station from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Credits: NASA

Media accreditation is open for the launch of the eighth Orbital ATK cargo resupply flight to the International Space Station (http://www.nasa.gov/station) from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Orbital ATK is targeting no earlier than Nov. 10 for the liftoff of its Cygnus spacecraft on an Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's Pad-0A.

Спойлер

International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by Wednesday, Oct. 4, for credentials to cover the prelaunch and launch activities at Wallops. The application deadline is Nov. 6 for media who are U.S. citizens. Journalists should send their accreditation request to Keith Koehler at keith.a.koehler@nasa.gov (mailto:keith.a.koehler@nasa.gov).

This will be the eighth planned cargo resupply mission by Orbital ATK for NASA under the agency's $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Services contract with the company. Cargo resupply from U.S. companies ensures a national capability to deliver critical science research to the space station, significantly increasing NASA's ability to conduct new science investigations to the only laboratory in microgravity.

For questions about accreditation or additional information, contact Keith Koehler by email or at 757-824-1579.

To learn more about Orbital ATK, its Antares rocket and the Cygnus cargo carrier, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk (http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk)

-end-

Kathryn Hambleton
 Headquarters, Washington
 202-358-1409
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov (mailto:kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov)

Keith Koehler
 Wallops Flight Facility, Va.
 757-824-1579
keith.a.koehler@nasa.gov (mailto:keith.a.koehler@nasa.gov)

Trina Helquist
 Orbital ATK
 480-814-6504
trina.helquist@orbitalatk.com (mailto:trina.helquist@orbitalatk.com)

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Last Updated: Sept. 29, 2017
Editor: Katherine Brown

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 50 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/915557927892725763)

The OA-8 #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is currently scheduled to launch aboard an Orbital ATK #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) rocket from @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Pad 0A on Nov 10

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 9 ч назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/915555557586726912)

The #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) service module is ready to ship to @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)! Frank Culbertson addresses employees before its departure
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168792.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 9 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/915556968911310848)

Orbital ATK engineers perform final checks on the #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) service module before packing it up for shipment to @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168800.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168799.jpg)

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 7 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/915590550736293888)

See you soon #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash)! Employees bid farewell to the OA-8 Cygnus service module as it departs our Dulles, VA Satellite Manufacturing Facility
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168861.jpg)

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)  4 окт. (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/915571112846794752)
Fun Fact: The OA-8 #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) will carry approximately 7,400 pounds of cargo to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) – the heaviest launch weight ever for #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

ЦитироватьWallops launch base receives final hardware delivery for next Cygnus mission
October 10, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

Orbital ATK shipped the final major piece of hardware for the next Cygnus space station resupply mission to a launch base on Virginia's Eastern Shore last week as technicians began loading cargo destined for delivery to the orbiting research lab next month.

Liftoff is scheduled for Nov. 10 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, a launch complex located at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility near Chincoteague, Virginia.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126971.jpg)
The Cygnus spacecraft's service module was packed up at Orbital ATK's facility in Dulles, Virginia, before shipment to its launch base on Virginia's Eastern Shore last week. Credit: Orbital ATK

The Cygnus spacecraft's service module, which contains the ship's propulsion and power systems, arrived Oct. 4 at Wallops after a truck ride from Orbital ATK's headquarters and manufacturing plant in Dulles, Virginia.

The service module completed testing earlier this year to verify it can withstand the extreme environments of launch and spaceflight, and crews at Wallops will mate it with the Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized cargo module in the coming weeks. The cargo section, built by Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, and ship's Antares rocket were already at Wallops undergoing final checks.

Ground teams were preparing for a launch during the summer, but managers delayed the mission at the request of NASA, which juggles arrivals and departures of visiting vehicles at the space station. NASA wanted more time to ensure the cargo slated to fly inside the Cygnus supply ship was ready, and to give astronauts time to conduct three spacewalks this month and repair the space station's robotic arm, which is used to snag the spacecraft on final approach to the orbiting outpost.

An Orbital ATK spokesperson said specialists have also started packing cargo into the barrel-shaped logistics module, which is based on Thales's experience building cargo carriers that flew on NASA's space shuttles and on the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle.

The service module will be filled with hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide maneuvering propellant later this month, then delivered from a clean room on the mainland to Orbital ATK's Horizontal Integration Facility on Wallops Island for attachment to an Antares booster.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126972.jpg)
The truck carrying the Cygnus service module departs Orbital ATK's headquarters in Dulles, Virginia. Credit: Orbital ATK

Once crews bolt the spacecraft to the Antares rocket, they will load time-critical cargo into supply ship, such as fresh food and experiments, then encapsulate Cygnus inside the launcher's payload shroud for rollout to pad 0A at Wallops.

The Antares rocket is set to roll out to the launch pad — owned by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority — a few days before liftoff.

Launch is currently targeted for no earlier than Nov. 10 at approximately 8:02 a.m. EST (1302 GMT), with arrival at the space station currently expected around four days later, when astronauts operating the lab's Canadian-built robotic arm will capture the automated Cygnus spaceship.

The upcoming resupply mission is named OA-8, the eighth of 11 space station cargo deliveries NASA has contracted to Orbital ATK through 2019.

The OA-8 mission is expected to haul approximately 7,400 pounds (around 3,350 kilograms) of cargo to the space station, the heaviest load ever launched by an Antares rocket.

It will be the fifth regular resupply flight to fly on an Antares rocket from Virginia, a tally that includes one launch failure. Orbital ATK also conducted a demonstration mission to the space station with an Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft in 2013, a flight not counted in the NASA cargo contract worth more than $2 billion.

Orbital ATK redesigned the Antares rocket's first stage in the wake of an October 2014 launch mishap, replacing decades-old Russian engines blamed for the failure with factory-fresh RD-181 engines, also from Russia. Two Cygnus cargo missions were launched from Cape Canaveral by United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rockets while the Antares rocket was grounded by failure investigation and redesign.

The Antares rocket returned to flight in October 2016, successfully launching a Cygnus cargo craft with more than 2.5 tons of supplies and experiments.

Another Cygnus mission in April also took off on an Atlas 5 from Florida, but Orbital ATK's next four cargo flights are slated to launch from Virginia on the company's own Antares rockets.

NASA and Orbital ATK have a separate contract for at least six additional resupply missions to the space station from 2019 through 2024. Officials said some of the six flights could launch aboard Antares rockets, and others on Atlas 5s.

The space agency also has station cargo transportation contracts with SpaceX and Sierra Nevada Corp.

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 11 окт. (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/918188091264794624)

OA-8 launch window will open at 8:03 am ET on Nov 10. Visit our mission page for more information http://bit.ly/2y0ywjW  (https://t.co/j3Pn1OGPyn)

ЦитироватьOct. 12, 2017

Witness the Next Space Station Cargo Spacecraft Launch from Virginia

We are inviting social media users to apply for credentials to cover the launch for Orbital ATK's CRS-8 Cygnus cargo spacecraft launching atop their Antares Rocket, currently targeted for 8:03 a.m. EDT, November 10, from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at our Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
...
Last Updated: Oct. 12, 2017
Editor: Jason Townsend

Цитировать

Mission Update: OA-8 Space Station Cargo Resupply

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209405.jpg)

Launch: November 10, 2017; 8:03 a.m. EDT

Спойлер

Launch Site: MARS Pad 0A, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia

Mission Customer: NASA

Mission Update

Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to launch aboard an Antares launch vehicle for the sixth time from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on November 10, 2017. Cygnus will deliver vital equipment, supplies and scientific equipment to the space station as part of Orbital ATK's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA.

Get live launch updates on our social media accounts: Twitter (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/OrbitalATK/) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/orbital_atk/)

 (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Images/Mission_profile_thumb.jpg)
 (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Images/Mission_profile.jpg)Cargo Resupply Mission Overview (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Images/Mission_profile.jpg)

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185682.png) NanoRacks‏Подлинная учетная запись @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) 12 окт. (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/918590103789989895)

Today our #Houston (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Houston?src=hash) team completed the final checkout of the NR Frame 2B & other payload hardware for the upcoming @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) launch
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168505.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/920651267831156738)

Our #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is being prepped for encapsulation! Stay tuned this morning for a closer look at the spacecraft & mission updates
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/169077.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/920659643365552129)

Orbital ATK, at @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA)'s direction, is now targeting Nov. 11, 2017 for launch of the #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) mission to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) http://bit.ly/2hRPQUq  (https://t.co/SHTfF0DzS6)

Цитировать...
Launch: November 11, 2017; 7:37 a.m. EST

Mission Update

October 18, 2017
 
Orbital ATK, at NASA's direction, is now targeting November 11 at 7:37 a.m. EST for launch of the OA-8 mission to the International Space Station, based on NASA's revised ISS traffic planning and cargo needs. The new date will enable Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft to deliver time sensitive cargo to the International Space Station on an expedited schedule.
...

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/920662990650773504)

Our #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) spacecraft is named in honor of Gene Cernan, accomplished @USNavy (https://twitter.com/USNavy) Captain & @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) astronaut
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/169070.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/920680371049713664)

The #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) mission will deliver approx. 7,400 lbs of cargo to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station). The SS Gene Cernan will launch atop our #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) rocket on 11/11

Цитировать

[/li]
• 4 a.m., Monday, November 13 - Coverage of the Rendezvous and Capture of the Orbital ATK Cygnus CRS-8 Cargo Craft at the ISS (Grapple scheduled at 5:40 a.m. ET) (starts at 4:15 a.m.) (all channels)
• 7 a.m., Monday, November 13 - Coverage of the Installation of the Orbital ATK/Cygnus CRS-8 Cargo Craft to the ISS (all channels)
  

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185682.png) NanoRacks‏Подлинная учетная запись @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/923994634916978688)

We're looking forward to a great launch with a completely full NanoRacks External #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) Deployer! #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 4 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/923981649821519872)

Just over 2 weeks until launch of our #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) mission to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)! Launch window will open on Nov 11 at 7:37 a.m. ET
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170117.jpg)

ЦитироватьStation Crew Continues Prep for Eighth Orbital ATK Launch
Catherine Williams (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/cewilli3/)
Posted on November 1, 2017 (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/11/01/station-crew-continues-prep-for-eighth-orbital-atk-launch/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131325.jpg)
Cygnus is an autonomous cargo vehicle that provides commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station. Its next launch is targeted for Nov. 11. Image Credit: NASA

Routine—and not-so-routine—housekeeping duties continue for Expedition 53 (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition53/index.html) aboard the International Space Station in preparation for an upcoming Orbital ATK 8 (OA-8 ) commercial launch targeted for Nov. 11.

Спойлер

The crewmates prepared the Permanent Multipurpose Module rack fronts to accept cargo by moving smaller items off and staging them for disposal. During OA-8 cargo operations, the items marked for disposal will be swapped with new cargo arriving aboard OA-8.

During Orbital ATK's eighth Cygnus resupply mission, the cargo craft will make a nine-minute ascent to space and then begin a two-day trek to the space station. Upon arrival, it will captured by Canadarm2 and installed for a month-long stay. Tonight, ground teams will reboost the station using the thrusters on Progress 67, which will put it at the proper altitude to meet up with Cygnus.

...

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьNASA Live
Events Airing Live On This Page (all times Eastern)

Saturday, Nov. 11, 7 a.m. EST: NASA TV coverage of Orbital ATK CRS-8 launch. Launch is targeted at 7:37 a.m. Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft and Antares rocket launch on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Saturday, Nov. 11, 9 a.m. EST: NASA TV coverage of the Orbital ATK Cygnus solar array deployment.

Saturday, Nov. 11, 10 a.m. EST: Orbital ATK Cygnus/CRS-8 post-launch news conference from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virgnia. Time is subject to change.

Monday, Nov. 13, 4:15 a.m. EST: Coverage of the Rendezvous and Capture of Cygnus. Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft is grappled by the International Space Station's robotic arm. Grapple is scheduled at 5:40 a.m.

Monday, Nov. 13, 7 a.m. EST: Coverage of the Installation of the Orbital ATK Cygnus to the International Space Station.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208772.png) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/ecamsat1_0.png)

Nov. 1, 2017

E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat)

Investigating Space Microgravity Effects on Antibiotic Resistance of E. coli

The E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) mission will investigate space microgravity effects on the antibiotic resistance of E. coli, a bacterial pathogen responsible for urinary tract infection in humans and animals. EcAMSat is being developed through a partnership between NASA's Ames Research Center and the Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. A.C. Matin is the Stanford University Principal Investigator. EcAMSAT is slated for launch in November 2017.

Спойлер

EcAMSat will investigate spaceflight effects on bacterial antibiotic resistance and its genetic basis. Bacterial antibiotic resistance may pose a danger to astronauts in microgravity, where the immune response is weakened. Scientists believe that the results of this experiment could help design effective countermeasures to protect astronauts' health during long-duration human space missions.

The fundamental scenario of the experiment protocol starts four days after launch of the EcAMSat satellite by allowing an initial growth and then starvation period for E. coli bacteria contained in 48 microfluidic wells. Both wild type (occurring in nature) and mutant strains of E. coli are used. This cycle lasts 48 hours and serves to prepare the bacteria for introduction of the antibiotic agent at a time most suitable for meaningful comparisons of antibiotic dose dependence with laboratory data. After this 48-hour growth period, a buffer solution- plus-antibiotic mixture is dispensed into 3 sets of 12-well banks at three different antibiotic concentrations and is left to incubate for 48 hours. A fourth 12-well set is a control and receives no antibiotic agent, only buffer solution. After 48 hours a fluid exchange occurs and alamarBlue®, a dye used to determine viability of the bacteria by measuring its metabolism, is then introduced to all wells and viability is tracked for at least 48 hours. An optical system tracks viability by color change of the 'viability dye', which changes from blue to pink when enzymes generated by cellular metabolic processes act upon it. EcAMSat acquires data from optical measurements in real-time. It is capable of autonomous operation and stores 152 hours of data. Overall, the experiment will determine the lowest concentration of antibiotic that inhibits bacterial growth. The knowledge gained in this experiment may be useful for prescribing the correct dose of antibiotics for future space travelers.

EcAMSat will utilize flight proven spacecraft technologies demonstrated on prior Ames nanosatellite missions such as PharmaSat and Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses (O/OREOS). Several other 6U spacecraft that have launched use the dimensions defined by the EcAMSat Team at NASA Ames.These dimensions now define the 6U Standard. In the 6U configuration, EcAMSat has six times the volume of a single CubeSat unit (1U). The cube-shaped 1U satellites measure about 4 inches on each side, have an approximate volume of one quart, and weigh less than three pounds. The 6U format enhances nanosatellite applicability for space missions by providing more power and volume for instruments, avionics, actuators and propulsion. The larger format improves payload accommodation and extends mission duration capabilities, while still retaining its ability to be launched as a secondary payload. EcAMSat weighs about 23 pounds and measures approximately 14.4 inches long, 8.9 inches wide and 3.9 inches tall. In addition, EcAMSat will serve to demonstrate the 6U satellite platform with two separate payload volumes.

The mission is funded as part of the Space Biology Project at NASA Ames Research Center. Funding for Space Biology comes from the Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Division within the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters.

For more information, contact:

Stevan Spremo
 Project Manager
 NASA Ames Research Center
Stevan.M.Spremo@nasa.gov (mailto:Stevan.M.Spremo@nasa.gov)

Elizabeth Taylor
 Space Biology Project Manager
 Space Biosciences Division
 NASA Ames Research Center
Elizabeth.Taylor-1@nasa.gov (mailto:Elizabeth.Taylor-1@nasa.gov)

David Tomko
 Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications
 Program Executive
 NASA Headquarters
DTomko@nasa.gov (mailto:DTomko@nasa.gov)

Download the Fact Sheet here:
EcAMSat Fact Sheet (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/ecamsat_31oct2017-508.pdf)

[свернуть]

Last Updated: Oct. 31, 2017
Editor: Veronica Phillips

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185725.jpg) NASA Ames‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASAAmes (https://twitter.com/NASAAmes) 22 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASAAmes/status/926253663412203520)

Tune in Friday to learn about our new small satellite mission to combat harmful bacteria in space. 2 pm PT / 5 pm ET https://www.facebook.com/NASAAmes  (https://t.co/R7OwxZlsFq)
https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DNltQlJX4AArON6.mp4 (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DNltQlJX4AArON6.mp4)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208764.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/53t2459pb.jpg)

Nov. 3, 2017

Antares Set for Launch Saturday, Nov. 11

Antares Set for Launch Saturday, Nov. 11

NASA's Wallops Flight Facility and Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport are set to support the launch of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket at 7:37 a.m. EST, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208580.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/oa-8_visibility_final_1.jpg)
Visibility map for the Orbital ATK's Antares Rocket CRS-8 launch.
View full image (https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/wallops-launch-visibility-map)

The Antares rocket will carry Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft with more than 7,000 pounds of food, clothing and experiments on the CRS-8 mission to the International Space Station.

The launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout the east coast of the United States.

Public viewing of the launch will be available at the NASA Visitor Center at Wallops and the surrounding area. Visitors are reminded that alcohol and pets are not allowed on the Visitor Center grounds. The NASA Visitor Center will open at 3:30 a.m. on Nov. 11.

For more information about the Visitors Center, including directions, see:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/visitorcenter

Live coverage of the mission is scheduled to begin at 1:15 a.m. on the Wallops Ustream site at:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-wallops)

Launch updates also are available via the Wallops Facebook and Twitter sites:

www.facebook.com/NASAWFF (http://www.facebook.com/NASAWFF)

www.twitter.com/NASA_Wallops (http://www.twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)

Smartphone users can download the "What's Up at Wallops" app, which contains information on the launch as well as a compass showing the precise direction for launch viewing. The app is available for download to both Android and iOS users.

Launch coverage on NASA TV will begin at 7 a.m. EST. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For more information about International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

Get more information about Orbital ATK, its Antares rocket and the Cygnus cargo spacecraft at:

http://www.nasa.gov/orbital (http://www.nasa.gov/orbital)

Keith Koehler
 NASA's Wallops Flight Facility

[свернуть]

Last Updated: Nov. 3, 2017
Editor: Samuel Henry

ЦитироватьLife is different in space. The human body undergoes changes making astronauts more vulnerable to illness. At the same time, the bacteria that transmit disease become more powerful, and it can take more antibiotics to kill off an infection. Our new small satellite mission launching November 11, called EcAMSat, will explore how current drugs work in space to combat this known problem of bacterial drug resistance. Join us today on Facebook Live to learn more and ask questions about the mission.

ЦитироватьNov. 3, 2017

Orbital ATK's S.S. Gene Cernan to Deliver Supplies to Space Station

Orbital ATK will launch its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit to the International Space Station (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/overview.html), targeted for November 11, 2017, from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will launch on an Antares rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific research to crewmembers aboard the station. The spacecraft, named the S.S. Gene Cernan (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/oa8-mission-page/Documents/SS_Gene%20Cernan_Bio.pdf) after former NASA astronaut Eugene "Gene" Cernan, who is the last person to have walked on the moon, will deliver scientific investigations including those that will study communication and navigation, microbiology, animal biology and plant biology.

Here are some highlights of research that will be delivered to the station:

Спойлер

Investigation tests bacterial antibiotic resistance in microgravity
Antibiotic resistance could pose a danger to astronauts, especially since microgravity has been shown to weaken human immune response. E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/engineering/projects/ecamsat)) will study microgravity's effect on bacterial antibiotic resistance. The experiment will expose two strains of E. coli, one with a resistance gene, the other without, to three different doses of antibiotics, then examine the viability of each group. Results from this investigation could contribute to determining appropriate antibiotic dosages to protect astronaut health during long-duration human spaceflight and help us understand how antibiotic effectiveness may change as a function of stress on Earth.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208331.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/ecamsat_fact_sheet_0.jpg)
EcAMSAT, undergoes thermal vacuum power management testing at NASA Ames. The test simulates the thermal vacuum and power environment of space and is an element of the spacecraft's flight validation testing program.
Credits: NASA

CubeSat used as a laser communication technology testbed
Traditional laser communication systems use transmitters that are far too large for small spacecraft. The Optical Communication Sensor Demonstration (OCSD (http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/ocsd_project.html)) tests the functionality of laser-based communications using CubeSats that provide a compact version of the technology. Results from OCSD could lead to significantly enhanced communication speeds between space and Earth and a better understanding of laser communication between small satellites in low-Earth orbit.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208694.png) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/stmd_ocsd_2_0.png)
The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) project uses CubeSats to test new types of technology in Earth's orbit. This work was funded by NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology Program under the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
Credits: NASA/Ames Research Center

Hybrid solar antenna seeks solution to long distance communications in space
As space exploration increases, so will the need for improved power and communication technologies. The Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/isara.php)), a hybrid solar power panel and communication solar antenna that can send and receive messages, tests the use of this technology in CubeSat-based environmental monitoring. ISARA may provide a solution for sending and receiving information to and from faraway destinations, both on Earth and in space.

Nitrogen fixation process tested in microgravity environment
The Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis (Biological Nitrogen Fixation (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2717.html)) investigation examines how low-gravity conditions affect the nitrogen fixation process of Microclover, a resilient and drought tolerant legume. The nitrogen fixation process, a process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into a usable form for living organisms, is a crucial element of any ecosystem necessary for most types of plant growth. This investigation could provide information on the space viability of the legume's ability to use and recycle nutrients and give researchers a better understanding of this plant's potential uses on Earth.

Life cycle of alternative protein source studied
Mealworms are high in nutrients and one of the most common sources of alternative protein in developing countries. The Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of Tenebrio Molitor (Tenebrio Molitor (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2718.html)) investigation studies how the microgravity environment affects the mealworm life cycle. In addition to alternative protein research, this investigation will provide information about animal growth under unique conditions.

Investigation studies advances in plant and crop growth in space
The Life Cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana in Microgravity (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2719.html) investigation studies the formation and functionality of the Arabidopsis thaliana, a mustard plant with a well-known genome that makes it ideal for research, in microgravity conditions. The results from this investigation will contribute to an understanding of plant and crop growth in space, a vital aspect to long-term spaceflight missions.

The Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Tenebrio Molitor are student investigations in the Go for Launch! - Higher Orbits program (http://higherorbits.org/) and sponsored by Space Tango (http://www.spacetango.com/) and the ISS National Lab, which is managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS (http://www.iss-casis.org/)).

The Arabidopsis thaliana investigation, also a student investigation, is a part of the Magnitude.io (https://magnitude.io/) program, sponsored by Space Tango and CASIS.

OA-8 marks Orbital ATK's eighth cargo delivery mission to the space station, and the research on board will join many other investigations currently happening aboard the orbiting laboratory. Follow @ISS_Research (https://twitter.com/ISS_Research) for more information about the science happening on station.

Jenny Howard
International Space Station Program Science Office
Johnson Space Center (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/home/index.html)

[свернуть]

Last Updated: Nov. 3, 2017
Editor: Michael Johnson

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/927588007418454019)

The 5-minute launch window for #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) will open at 7:37 am EST on Nov 11. More info is available on our mission page http://bit.ly/2y0ywjW (https://t.co/j3Pn1OYqWX)

ЦитироватьMission Update

November 6, 2017

Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its OA-8 mission to the International Space Station on November 11 with the five-minute launch window opening at 7:37 a.m. EST. The S.S. Gene Cernan Cygnus will launch aboard an Antares launch vehicle for the sixth time from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The spacecraft will deliver vital supplies and scientific equipment to the station as part of Orbital ATK's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. Integration and testing of the Antares launch vehicle and Cygnus spacecraft are complete, and spacecraft encapsulation is scheduled for later this week.

ЦитироватьCygnus Cargo Mission Due for Launch on Veteran's Day
Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted on November 6, 2017 (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/11/06/cygnus-cargo-mission-due-for-launch-on-veterans-day/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131311.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131311.jpg)
The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft is seen just before being released from the grip of the Canadarm2 robotic arm on February 19, 2016.

Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/orbital.html)'s eighth commercial cargo mission is set to launch to the International Space Station at 7:36 a.m. EST Veteran's Day on Nov. 11. The Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo craft will blast off from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, with over 7,000 pounds of food, supplies and research gear.

Спойлер

Two astronauts will be inside the cupola commanding the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Cygnus when it arrives Monday at 5:40 a.m. Flight Engineer Paolo Nespoli (http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Astronauts/Paolo_Nespoli) will capture Cygnus, dubbed the "SS Gene Cernan", assisted by Commander Randy Bresnik (http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/randolph-j-bresnik). Cygnus will deliver numerous advanced science experiments exploring a wide variety of subjects including communication and navigation, microbiology, animal biology and plant biology (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/Orbital-Gene-Cernan-Supply-Delivery).

Meanwhile, the orbiting Expedition 53 crew members (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition53/index.html) continued investigating biology and robotics in microgravity.

NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei (https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/mark-t-vande-hei) collected and stowed saliva samples today that will be analyzed later for a study on the human immune system and metabolism (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1949.html). Bresnik took panoramic photographs inside the Kibo laboratory module to prepare for the upcoming Astrobee experiment (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2154.html). Astrobee consists of three free-flying, cube-shaped robots that will be tested for their ability to assist astronauts and ground controllers.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьNov. 7, 2017
MEDIA ADVISORY M17-132

NASA TV Coverage Set for Next Resupply Mission to International Space Station

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207869.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/m17-132_0.jpg)
Orbital ATK's Antares rocket for the CRS-8 mission is being integrated in the Horizontal Integration Facility at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. Launch is scheduled for 7:37 a.m. EST , Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017.

NASA commercial cargo provider Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its eighth mission to the International Space Station (http://www.nasa.gov/station) at 7:37 a.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 11 NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Live launch coverage will begin at 7 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency's website (https://www.nasa.gov/live).

Спойлер

NASA TV also will air two prelaunch briefings Friday, Nov. 10. At 11 a.m. mission managers will provide an overview and status of launch operations, and at 3 p.m. scientists and researchers will discuss some of the investigations and technology demonstrations to be delivered to the station.

The Cygnus cargo spacecraft will launch on Orbital ATK's upgraded Antares rocket from Pad 0A of Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, located at Wallops. Following launch on Nov. 11, NASA TV coverage of the spacecraft's solar array deployment will begin at 9 a.m. and a post-launch news briefing will held at approximately 10 a.m.

Under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract, Cygnus will carry about 7,400 pounds of crew supplies and hardware to the space station, including science and research in support of dozens of research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 53 and 54.

Cygnus will carry several CubeSats that will conduct a variety of missions, from technology demonstrations of laser (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/ocsd_project.html) communication and increased (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/isara_project.html) data downlink rates to an investigation (https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/engineering/projects/ecamsat) to study spaceflight effects on bacterial antibiotic resistance. Other experiments will advance (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2461.html) biological monitoring aboard the station and look at various elements of plant growth (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2717.html) in microgravity that may help inform plant cultivation strategies for future long-term space missions. The spacecraft will also transport a virtual reality camera (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2642.html) to record a National Geographic educational special on Earth as a natural life-support system.

Cygnus will arrive at the station on Monday, Nov. 13. Expedition 53 Flight Engineers Paolo Nespoli of ESA (European Space Agency) and Randy Bresnik of NASA will use the space station's robotic arm to capture Cygnus at about 5:40 a.m. NASA TV coverage of rendezvous and capture will begin at 4:15 a.m.

After Canadarm2 captures Cygnus, ground commands will be sent to guide the station's robotic arm as it rotates and attaches the spacecraft to the bottom of the station's Unity module. Coverage of installation will begin at 7 a.m.

Cygnus will remain at the space station until Dec. 4, when the spacecraft will depart the station and deploy several CubeSate before its fiery reentry into Earth's atmosphere as it disposes of several tons of trash.

This Cygnus spacecraft is named in honor (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Documents/SS_Gene%20Cernan_Bio.pdf) of the former astronaut Eugene "Gene" Cernan, the last human to step foot on the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission. Cernan set records for both lunar surface extravehicular activities and longest time in lunar orbit. He died in January 2017.

Learn more about Orbital ATK's mission at:

http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk (http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk)

Get breaking news, images and features from the station on Instagram and Twitter:

http://instagram.com/iss (http://instagram.com/iss)

and

http://www.twitter.com/Space_Station (http://www.twitter.com/Space_Station)

-end-

Kathryn Hambleton
 Headquarters, Washington
 202-358-1100
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov (mailto:kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov)

Dan Huot
 Johnson Space Center, Houston
 281-483-5111
daniel.g.huot@nasa.gov (mailto:daniel.g.huot@nasa.gov)

[свернуть]

Last Updated: Nov. 7, 2017
Editor: Katherine Brown

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/927932496414683138)

Late cargo load of the #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) was completed yesterday at @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops). Next up: encapsulation in #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) fairing!
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170606.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170605.jpg)

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185682.png) NanoRacks‏Подлинная учетная запись @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) 6 нояб. (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/927532321355522048)

We're so excited that the @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) mission patch highlights our fully-packed External #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) Deployer! #LaunchWeek (https://twitter.com/hashtag/LaunchWeek?src=hash) #CubeSats (https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubeSats?src=hash) #Spocktopus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Spocktopus?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/169444.png)

Цитировать

Orbital ATK's OA-8 Mission to Carry Student Experiments to International Space Station

On Saturday, November 11, more than 1,000 guests and media will head to NASA's Wallops Flight Facility to see the launch of Orbital ATK's OA-8 mission (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/default.aspx) to the International Space Station. Among those viewers will be a group of high school students from Gilbert, Arizona. But these students are not the typical launch spectators - they are sending their own experiment to astronauts on board the space station.

Спойлер

Last year, these students participated in Go For Launch!, a program sponsored by non-profit Higher Orbits, which aspires to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in schools across the country. The winning team, the "Saguaro Snakes," designed the winning experiment, which is now being sent to the orbiting laboratory.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209410.jpg)
The "Saguaro Snakes" are pictured with the Go For Launch! judges after winning the competition.

"The 'Saguaro Snakes' represent the very best of what we're trying to accomplish which is to develop the next generation of space explorers," said Frank Culbertson, former NASA astronaut and President of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group. "The team presented us with an innovative and well thought out concept that explores how peanut plants grow in space. It was a tough decision with many worthy competitors but the 'Saguaro Snakes' earned the opportunity to take the next step on their journey towards deep space exploration and beyond. We are honored to host their experiment aboard our company's Cygnus spacecraft on an upcoming mission to the International Space Station."

The flight concept for launching student experiments was conceived during the inaugural Arizona Go For Launch! three-day program, which focused on using space exploration as a foundation for inspiring ideas that can be examined further in a microgravity environment. Based on the winning team's presentation, the experiment will evaluate the growth of peanut plants in microgravity and will explore how nitrogen deposited in the soil can be used to grow additional plants in space. It will be executed inside the International Space Station on the newly installed Tango Lab, operated by Space Tango. The hardware facility inside the space station allows for multiple CubeLab experiments to run automatically and is an ideal platform for leveraging student engagement.

Go For Launch! was created and presented by Higher Orbits to promote space exploration for aspiring students through interactive, hands-on activities delivered by experienced industry professionals. During the program's inaugural year, students worked with former astronauts, former International Space Station and Space Shuttle controllers, astronaut instructors, scientists and engineers. Working in teams, students sharpened their communications and leadership skills while designing innovative science experiments that could be flown to the International Space Station. Students presented the final product to a panel of judges representing space and STEM fields.

Read more about the winners here (http://higherorbits.org/student-programs/go-for-launch/2016-winners/).

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьMission Update
...
Watch the launch live beginning at 7:00 a.m. EST on launch day on NASA TV (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public).

ЦитироватьNAVAREA IV 1047/2017 (12,25)

WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
VIRGINIA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   110730Z TO 110815Z, 120700Z TO 120800Z,
   130645Z TO 130730Z, 140615Z TO 140700Z,
   150600Z TO 150645Z, 160530Z TO 160615Z,
   170515Z TO 170600Z, 180445Z TO 180530Z,
   190430Z TO 190515Z, 200400Z TO 200445Z,
   210330Z TO 210415Z NOV IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 37-55-17N 075-24-57W, 37-31-33N 074-14-46W,
   36-55-00N 073-56-31W, 36-55-18N 074-55-48W,
   37-41-06N 075-35-41W.
   B. 28-50-39N 062-19-46W, 30-46-34N 064-20-52W,
   29-05-49N 066-25-42W, 27-13-04N 064-25-05W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 210515Z NOV 17.

( 050336Z NOV 2017 )

ЦитироватьCygnus Training, Respiratory Health and Performance Studies Today
Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted on November 8, 2017 (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/11/08/cygnus-training-respiratory-health-and-performance-studies-today/)

Two astronauts are training for Monday's planned arrival of Orbital ATK's newest Cygnus cargo craft dubbed the S.S. Eugene Cernan. The crew is also analyzing the International Space Station's atmosphere and studying how crew performance adapts to microgravity.

Спойлер

Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/orbital.html) is counting down to a Veteran's Day launch of its Cygnus spacecraft atop an Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The rocket is scheduled to blast off Saturday at 7:37 a.m. EST with about 7,400 pounds of science gear and crew supplies packed inside Cygnus.

Commander Randy Bresnik (http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/randolph-j-bresnik) and Flight Engineer Paolo Nespoli (http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Astronauts/Paolo_Nespoli) are training today to capture Cygnus with the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Nespoli will command the Canadarm2 to grapple Cygnus at 5:40 a.m. Monday when it reaches a point about 10 meters from the station. Bresnik will back up Nespoli and monitor the spacecraft's approach and rendezvous.
...

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 6 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/928425461209853953)

#OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) Mission Update: #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) encapsulation is complete and we are prepping #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) for roll to @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Pad 0A early tomorrow morning!
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170681.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170682.jpg)

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/928602863193993216)

#Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)' journey has begun! #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170761.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170760.jpg)

ЦитироватьViewing Map for OA-8 Launch

*Weather permitting, the launch of Antares from Wallops Island, Virginia, on November 11, 2017 may be widely visible along the East Coast. However, because this is an early morning launch, it is likely that the sun will interfere with viewing from most locations.*
(https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Images/OA-8%20Launch%20Viewing%20Map%20-%20First%20Sighting_med.jpg) (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Images/OA-8%20Launch%20Viewing%20Map%20-%20First%20Sighting_high.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/928671771590561793)

#OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) being raised on @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Pad 0A at @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)! We remain on schedule for Saturday's 7:37am launch
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170795.jpg)

ЦитироватьNov. 9, 2017

Antares Rolls to the Pad

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207506.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/wff-2017-067-005.jpg)

The Orbital ATK Antares rolled out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's pad 0A this morning, Nov. 9, 2017, in preparation for launch at 7:37 a.m. EST, Saturday, Nov. 11, from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Antares will carry the company's Cygnus cargo spacecraft with more than 7,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. The T-48 hour forecast shows a 95 percent probability of acceptable weather for a launch on Nov. 11.

Credit: NASA/Terry Zaperach

Last Updated: Nov. 9, 2017
Editor: Rob Garner

ЦитироватьNov. 8, 2017

NASA TV Coverage Set for Antares Launch to the International Space Station

NASA commercial cargo provider Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its eighth mission to the International Space Station (http://www.nasa.gov/station) at 7:37 a.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 11, from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Live launch coverage will begin at 7 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency's website (https://www.nasa.gov/live).

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207700.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/cygnus_final_load_002_cropped.jpg)
Final cargo items are loaded into the Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. Cygnus will be carried to the International Space Station aboard an Antares rocket Nov. 11.
Credits: NASA/Patrick Black

NASA TV also will air two prelaunch briefings Friday, Nov. 10. At 11 a.m. mission managers will provide an overview and status of launch operations, and at 3 p.m. scientists and researchers will discuss some of the investigations and technology demonstrations to be delivered to the station.

The Cygnus cargo spacecraft will launch on Orbital ATK's upgraded Antares rocket from Pad 0A of Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, located at Wallops. Following launch on Nov. 11, NASA TV coverage of the spacecraft's solar array deployment will begin at 9 a.m. and a post-launch news briefing will held at approximately 10 a.m.

Спойлер

Under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract, Cygnus will carry about 7,400 pounds of crew supplies and hardware to the space station, including science and research in support of dozens of research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 53 and 54.

Cygnus will carry several CubeSats that will conduct a variety of missions, from technology demonstrations of laser (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/ocsd_project.html) communication and increased (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/isara_project.html) data downlink rates to an investigation (https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/engineering/projects/ecamsat) to study spaceflight effects on bacterial antibiotic resistance. Other experiments will advance (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2461.html) biological monitoring aboard the station and look at various elements of plant growth (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2717.html) in microgravity that may help inform plant cultivation strategies for future long-term space missions. The spacecraft will also transport a virtual reality camera (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2642.html) to record a National Geographic educational special on Earth as a natural life-support system.

Cygnus will arrive at the station on Monday, Nov. 13. Expedition 53 Flight Engineers Paolo Nespoli of ESA (European Space Agency) and Randy Bresnik of NASA will use the space station's robotic arm to capture Cygnus at about 5:40 a.m. NASA TV coverage of rendezvous and capture will begin at 4:15 a.m.

After Canadarm2 captures Cygnus, ground commands will be sent to guide the station's robotic arm as it rotates and attaches the spacecraft to the bottom of the station's Unity module. Coverage of installation will begin at 7 a.m.

Cygnus will remain at the space station until Dec. 4, when the spacecraft will depart the station and deploy several CubeSats before its fiery re-entry into Earth's atmosphere as it disposes of several tons of trash.

If the launch does not occur on Saturday, Nov. 11, the next launch opportunity is 7:14 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 12 with NASA TV coverage starting at 6:45 a.m.

This Cygnus spacecraft is named in honor (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Documents/SS_Gene%20Cernan_Bio.pdf) of the former astronaut Eugene "Gene" Cernan, the last human to step foot on the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission. Cernan set records for both lunar surface extravehicular activities and longest time in lunar orbit. He died in January 2017.

...

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PRELAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE ON NASA TV

Спойлер

Friday, Nov. 10 (L-1 day): A prelaunch status briefing will be held at Wallops NASA Visitor Center auditorium at 11 a.m. NASA TV will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participants will be:

[/li]
• Dan Hartman, International Space Station Program, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston
• Camille Alleyne, International Space Station Program Science Office, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston
• Frank DeMauro, Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Programs Division, Orbital ATK
• Kurt Eberly, Antares Deputy Program Manager, Orbital ATK
• John Dickerson, test director, Wallops Flight Facility
  

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WHAT'S ON BOARD SCIENCE BRIEFING ON NASA TV

Спойлер

Friday, Nov.10 (L-1 day): A science, research and technology briefing will be held at the NASA Visitor Center auditorium at 3 p.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.

Participants will include:

[/li]
• Camille Alleyne, International Space Station Program Science Office and Patrick O'Neill, CASIS
• Henry Martin, NanoRacks and Cassie Wong, CRS Systems Engineer, Orbtial ATK
• Elwood Agasid, deputy program manager of the Small Spacecraft Technology Program (OCSD/ ISARA)
• Stevan Spremo, project manager for EcAMSat at Ames
• Michelle Lucas, founder and president at Higher Orbits, and Frank Culbertson, Orbital ATK
• Abigail Youngker, student, Team Saguaro Snakes
• Heath Mills, CEO, Space Technology and Advanced Research Systems, Inc.
  

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POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE ON NASA TV

Спойлер

Saturday, Nov. 11:A post-launch news conference will occur at about 10 a.m. and NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.

Participants will be:

[/li]
• Dan Hartman, International Space Station Program manager
• Frank DeMauro, Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Programs Division, Orbital ATK
• Kurt Eberly, Antares Deputy Program Manager, Orbital ATK
  

[свернуть]

Спойлер

...

NASA TV LAUNCH COVERAGE

Saturday, Nov. 11 (Launch day): NASA TV live coverage will begin at 7 a.m. EST. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

IN-FLIGHT NASA TV COVERAGE

If launch occurs Nov. 11, NASA TV will provide live coverage of the arrival of the Cygnus cargo ship to the International Space Station. NASA TV will cover the rendezvous and grapple of Cygnus on Nov. 13. beginning at 4:15 a.m. EST with grapple taking place at approximately 5:40 a.m.

NASA WEB PRELAUNCH AND LAUNCH COVERAGE

Prelaunch and launch day coverage of the Orbital ATK CRS-8 flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming beginning at 1:15 a.m. on the Wallops Ustream (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops) site. Live coverage on the NASA website begins at 7 a.m. on launch day. Photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact Keith Koehler at 757-824-1579. You can follow countdown coverage on our launch blog at:

http://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital

Learn more about the Orbital ATK CRS-8 mission by going to the mission home page at:

http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk

TWITTER

The Wallops Twitter feed will be updated throughout the launch countdown. To access the feed, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA_Wallops

FACEBOOK

The Wallops Facebook feed will be updated throughout the launch countdown. To access the feed, visit:

http://www.facebook.com/NASAWFF

...

Kathryn Hambleton
 Headquarters, Washington
 202-358-1100
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov (mailto:kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov)

Keith Koehler
 Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia
 757-824-1579
keith.a.koehler@nasa.gov (mailto:keith.a.koehler@nasa.gov)

[свернуть]

Last Updated: Nov. 9, 2017
Editor: Rob Garner

ЦитироватьCrew Tests New Workouts and Lights as Rocket Preps for Launch
Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted on November 9, 2017 (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/11/09/crew-tests-new-workouts-and-lights-as-rocket-preps-for-launch/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131322.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/GoQsQz)
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, is raised into vertical position at the launch pad Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

...
The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft is encapsulated inside the Antares rocket and now stands vertical at the launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus is due to launch Saturday at 7:37 a.m. EDT with about 7,400 pounds of new science experiments and fresh supplies for the Expedition 53 crew.

Cygnus will unfurl its cymbal-like UltraFlex solar arrays less than two hours after launch as it begins a two-day trip to the International Space Station. Astronaut Paolo Nespoli will command the Canadarm2 from the Cupola to grapple Cygnus when it arrives Monday morning at 5:40 a.m. Commander Randy Bresnik will back up Nespoli and monitor the approach and rendezvous.

ЦитироватьOA-8 Launch Blog Kicks Off; Antares Rolls to the Pad
Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted on November 9, 2017 (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/09/oa-8-launch-blog-kicks-off-antares-rolls-to-the-pad/)

Orbital ATK will launch its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit to the International Space Station, targeted for 7:37 a.m EST Nov. 11, 2017, from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will launch on an Antares rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific research to crewmembers aboard the station. The spacecraft, named the S.S. Gene Cernan after former NASA astronaut Eugene "Gene" Cernan, who is the last person to have walked on the moon, will deliver scientific investigations including those that will study communication and navigation, microbiology, animal biology and plant biology. Live NASA TV coverage (https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive) will begin at 7 a.m. EST on Nov. 11.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131037.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/WFF-2017-067-005.jpg)
The Orbital ATK Antares rolled out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's pad 0A this morning, Nov. 9, 2017, in preparation for launch at 7:37 a.m. EST, Saturday, Nov. 11, from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Antares will carry the company's Cygnus cargo spacecraft with more than 7,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. The T-48 hour forecast shows a 95 percent probability of acceptable weather for a launch on Nov. 11. Credit: NASA/Terry Zaperach

Aside from the unseasonable cold temperatures, weather conditions look excellent (95 percent favorable) for Saturday's launch attempt with no real concerns at this time, according to the latest forecast for the launch range.

A strong cold front will move through the Wallops Region Friday morning, ushering in the coldest airmass of the season. Gusty northwesterly winds will accompany the frontal passage on Friday, with winds possibly gusting as high as 30-35 mph. A broad area of Canadian high pressure will quickly build in behind the front, centering over the Great Lakes Region and ridging south toward the Wallops Region for Saturday morning's launch. This will bring mostly clear and cold conditions for Saturday morning, with temperatures expected to bottom out in the mid to upper 20s.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131035.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/oa-8_visibility_final_0.jpg)
This map shows the visibility of the upcoming launch of Orbital ATK's CRS-8 mission from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, with numeric values indicating the time (in seconds) after liftoff the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft may be visible.

Related links

[/li]
• Payload details (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/Orbital-Gene-Cernan-Supply-Delivery)
• More on NASA TV coverage (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/wallops/2017/nasa-tv-coverage-set-for-antares-launch-to-the-international-space-station)
  

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ЦитироватьNov. 8, 2017

Orbital ATK's S.S. Gene Cernan to Deliver Supplies to Space Station

Orbital ATK will launch its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit to the International Space Station (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/overview.html), targeted for November 11, 2017, from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will launch on an Antares rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific research to crewmembers aboard the station. The spacecraft, named the S.S. Gene Cernan (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/oa8-mission-page/Documents/SS_Gene%20Cernan_Bio.pdf) after former NASA astronaut Eugene "Gene" Cernan, who is the last person to have walked on the moon, will deliver scientific investigations including those that will study communication and navigation, microbiology, animal biology and plant biology.

Here are some highlights of research that will be delivered to the station:

Investigation tests bacterial antibiotic resistance in microgravity

Спойлер

Antibiotic resistance could pose a danger to astronauts, especially since microgravity has been shown to weaken human immune response. E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/engineering/projects/ecamsat)) will study microgravity's effect on bacterial antibiotic resistance. The experiment will expose two strains of E. coli, one with a resistance gene, the other without, to three different doses of antibiotics, then examine the viability of each group. Results from this investigation could contribute to determining appropriate antibiotic dosages to protect astronaut health during long-duration human spaceflight and help us understand how antibiotic effectiveness may change as a function of stress on Earth.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208331.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/ecamsat_fact_sheet_0.jpg)
EcAMSAT, undergoes thermal vacuum power management testing at NASA Ames. The test simulates the thermal vacuum and power environment of space and is an element of the spacecraft's flight validation testing program.
Credits: NASA

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CubeSat used as a laser communication technology testbed

Спойлер

Traditional laser communication systems use transmitters that are far too large for small spacecraft. The Optical Communication Sensor Demonstration (OCSD (http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/ocsd_project.html)) tests the functionality of laser-based communications using CubeSats that provide a compact version of the technology. Results from OCSD could lead to significantly enhanced communication speeds between space and Earth and a better understanding of laser communication between small satellites in low-Earth orbit.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208694.png) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/stmd_ocsd_2_0.png)
The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) project uses CubeSats to test new types of technology in Earth's orbit. This work was funded by NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology Program under the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
Credits: NASA/Ames Research Center

[свернуть]

Hybrid solar antenna seeks solution to long distance communications in space

Спойлер

As space exploration increases, so will the need for improved power and communication technologies. The Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/isara.php)), a hybrid solar power panel and communication solar antenna that can send and receive messages, tests the use of this technology in CubeSat-based environmental monitoring. ISARA may provide a solution for sending and receiving information to and from faraway destinations, both on Earth and in space.

[свернуть]

Nitrogen fixation process tested in microgravity environment

Спойлер

The Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis (Biological Nitrogen Fixation (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2717.html)) investigation examines how low-gravity conditions affect the nitrogen fixation process of Microclover, a resilient and drought tolerant legume. The nitrogen fixation process, a process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into a usable form for living organisms, is a crucial element of any ecosystem necessary for most types of plant growth. This investigation could provide information on the space viability of the legume's ability to use and recycle nutrients and give researchers a better understanding of this plant's potential uses on Earth.

[свернуть]

Life cycle of alternative protein source studied

Спойлер

Mealworms are high in nutrients and one of the most common sources of alternative protein in developing countries. The Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of Tenebrio Molitor (Tenebrio Molitor (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2718.html)) investigation studies how the microgravity environment affects the mealworm life cycle. In addition to alternative protein research, this investigation will provide information about animal growth under unique conditions.

[свернуть]

Investigation studies advances in plant and crop growth in space

Спойлер

The Life Cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana in Microgravity (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2719.html) investigation studies the formation and functionality of the Arabidopsis thaliana, a mustard plant with a well-known genome that makes it ideal for research, in microgravity conditions. The results from this investigation will contribute to an understanding of plant and crop growth in space, a vital aspect to long-term spaceflight missions.
The Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Tenebrio Molitor are student investigations in the Go for Launch! - Higher Orbits program (http://higherorbits.org/) and sponsored by Space Tango (http://www.spacetango.com/) and the ISS National Lab, which is managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS (http://www.iss-casis.org/)). The Arabidopsis thaliana investigation, also a student investigation, is a part of the Magnitude.io (https://magnitude.io/) program, sponsored by Space Tango and CASIS.

[свернуть]

Спойлер

OA-8 marks Orbital ATK's eighth cargo delivery mission to the space station, and the research on board will join many other investigations currently happening aboard the orbiting laboratory. Follow @ISS_Research (https://twitter.com/ISS_Research) for more information about the science happening on station. 

Jenny Howard
International Space Station Program Science Office
Johnson Space Center (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/home/index.html)

[свернуть]

Last Updated: Nov. 9, 2017
Editor: Michael Johnson

ЦитироватьAntares Raised at Launch Pad-0A
Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted on November 9, 2017 (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/09/antares-raised-at-launch-pad-0a/)

The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, is raised into the vertical position on launch Pad-0A, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's eighth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131028.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/NHQ201711090001.jpg)
Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131029.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/NHQ201711090003.jpg)
Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/31676.png) NASA HQ PHOTO‏Подлинная учетная запись @nasahqphoto (https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto/status/928684949015801857)

Images from the rollout of the Antares rocket and "SS Gene Cernan" @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) cargo vehicle are posted: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm8Mbnfd  (https://t.co/Fth7Glptt0)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170808.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170807.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170809.jpg)

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185572.jpg) NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/928695606150942720)

The @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft aboard, has been raised at @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) launch Pad-0A here at Wallops. Weather forecast is 95-percent favorable for the launch, scheduled at 7:37 a.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 11.

ЦитироватьNew Small Satellite Missions Launching To Space

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220309.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/nasaames) NASA's Ames Research Center (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggQcRNVNRaH3uEb4nqf0zg)

Опубликовано: 9 нояб. 2017 г.

On November 11, 2017, NASA will launch four new small satellite missions to space from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Each mission will demonstrate critical new capabilities for small spacecraft.

ЦитироватьInternational Space Station U.S. National Lab Payloads Prepped for Orbital ATK CRS-8 Launch

November 2, 2017

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL. (November 2, 2017) – The Orbital ATK Cygnus vehicle is slated to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) no earlier than November 11, 2017 from Wallops Flight Facility. The Cygnus spacecraft will carry a dozen ISS National Laboratory payloads to conduct research across a variety of areas aimed at improving life on Earth. In addition to the diverse research launching to the ISS National Lab, multiple payloads focused on enabling future research missions will be part of the CRS-8 manifest. Thus far in 2017, the ISS National Lab has sponsored more than 100 separate experiments that have reached the station.

Below highlights ISS National Lab sponsored investigations as part of the Orbital ATK CRS-8 mission:

Biological Nitrogen Fixation via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2717.html)
Higher Orbits, Michelle Lucas

Спойлер

This project was developed by the Higher Orbits Go for Launch! student competition Orbital ATK Division winning team, the Saguaro Snakes (Gilbert, AZ). The project is focused on establishing a baseline for plant growth in extraterrestrial colonies. Microclover, a resilient and drought-tolerant legume will be grown in microgravity to determine the effect of the space environment on the nitrogen-fixation process and micro-green growth. Insight gained from this experiment could be useful in ongoing efforts to create a self-sufficient greenhouse in microgravity, which would necessitate a soil nitrogen source for exploratory purposes.
Hardware Partner: Space Tango (http://www.spacetango.com/)

[свернуть]

Cost-effective High E-Frequency Satellite (CHEFSat) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2571.html)
Naval Research Laboratory (Washington, DC)

Спойлер

The Cost-effective High E-Frequency Satellite (CHEFSat) tests and prepares consumer communications technology for use in space. The growing range of devices, components, and miniaturized technology available in the consumer market represents a boon for space exploration and cost management. CHEFSat seeks to validate a consumer-grade radio frequency device for wider space use by testing its safety and effectiveness in a working CubeSat deployed from the ISS.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks (http://www.nanoracks.com/)

[свернуть]

E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2573.html)
Stanford University, A.C. Martin, Ph.D. (Stanford, CA)

Спойлер

The E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) investigation seeks to determine the lowest dose of antibiotic needed to inhibit growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacterial pathogen that causes infections in humans and animals. The experiment will expose wild-type (naturally occurring in nature) and mutant strains of E. coli to three different antibiotic concentrations and then examine the viability of each group using a dye that reveals metabolic activity. As the first mission in the 6U satellite platform configuration, EcAMSat also serves to demonstrate the capabilities of this technology. EcAMSat is being developed through a partnership between NASA's Ames Research Center with support from the NASA Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Program and the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of a Tenebrio molitor (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2718.html)
Higher Orbits, Michelle Lucas

Спойлер

The Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of Tenebrio Molitor (Tenebrio Molitor) experiment aboard the ISS investigates how the microgravity environment of space affects the mealworm life cycle. Mealworms represent good test subjects because they are well-studied organisms. An automated laboratory apparatus images mealworm growth from larval to adult life stages and then returns samples to Earth based labs for more detailed analysis. This project was conceived by the Higher Orbits AIAA Division winning team – Operation Galaxy X (Herndon, VA).
Hardware Partner: Space Tango

[свернуть]

Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2572.html)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA) and Aerospace Corporation (El Segundo, CA)

Спойлер

The Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA) prepares a new hybrid antenna and power system for space applications by demonstrating its use in CubeSat-based environmental monitoring. Advances in material science and electrical engineering have made possible a flexible solar panel that can send and receive messages. ISARA tests the performance of these new solar antennas in collecting instrumental data aboard a CubeSat deployed from the ISS and monitored by ground-based engineering crews.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

Life Cycle of Arabidopsis Thaliana in Microgravity (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2719.html)
Magnitude.IO, Ted Tagami (Berkeley, CA)

Спойлер

The Life Cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana in Microgravity (Arabidopsis thaliana) project studies the morphology and physiology of a common plant species using specialized modular growth chambers aboard the ISS. The plant under investigation grows from germinated seeds under automated light, temperature and nutrient conditions. Automated cameras image growth at every stage to determine both plant viability and the effectiveness of cultivation modules, which return to Earth for further post-mission analysis.
Hardware Partner: Space Tango

[свернуть]

NanoRacks-LEMUR-2 (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2349.html)
Spire Global, Inc., Jenny Barna (San Francisco, SF)

Спойлер

About 90 percent of global trade is shipped by sea; however, tracking of oceangoing ships is inefficient and many ships are unmonitored as they transit the world's oceans, far from land and out of range of ground-based beacons. The NanoRacks-LEMUR-2 satellites are part of a remote sensing satellite constellation that provides global ship tracking and weather monitoring. The satellites in this investigation are deployed from both the ISS and the visiting space vehicle, demonstrating the technology at a range of altitude bands.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

Optical Communication and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2577.html)
Siegfried Janson, Ph.D., and Richard Welle, Ph.D., The Aerospace Corporation (El Segundo, CA)

Спойлер

The Optical Communication and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) will test specific functions of laser-based communications using automated CubeSats deployed from the ISS. Optical communication (communication using lasers) is a next-generation technology that improves the distance, accuracy, and speed of communication in space and in space-to-ground applications. OCSD readies a compact version of this technology for space by demonstrating accurate high-speed optical communication between two small satellites working closely together in low Earth orbit.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

PROPCUBE-Fauna (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2578.html)
Paul Bernhardt, Ph.D., Naval Research Laboratory (Washington, D.C.)

Спойлер

PROPCUBE-Fauna uses a CubeSat platform to collect critical data for improving communications systems. Both Earth- and space-based communications systems use the outer electrical field of the Earth's atmosphere to transmit, bend, or bounce message signals. PROPCUBE-Fauna will perform high-resolution measurements on the exact position, density, and potential vibration of this field to transmit signals in a more effective manner.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

STaARS BioScience-5 (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2644.html)
Sarah Wallace, Ph.D., NASA Johnson Space Center (Clear Lake, TX)

Спойлер

This set of STaARS (http://www.staars.space/) experiments will be conducted in a new facility on the ISS, the NEXUS Lab, which was designed and built by SpacePharma (http://space4p.com/#/). Dr. Wallace will be completing a two-part experiment that began on SpaceX CRS-12 involving Staphylococcus aureus (a common skin pathogen). Her experiment examines microgravity-induced molecular alterations that cause S. aureus to change color from its normal gold to clear and that cause the bacteria to lose pathogenicity. By elucidating the mechanisms within S. aureus that change during growth in microgravity, this research could to lead to drug discovery and new therapies. This investigation also serves as a validation study for the NEXUS lab, which seeks to provide researchers with another reliable option for life science research on the ISS.
Hardware Partners: SpacePharma and STaARS

[свернуть]

VUZE – National Geographic Channel (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2642.html)
Matthew Zymet, National Geographic (Washington, D.C.)

Спойлер

The National Geographic Channel–Virtual Reality Educational Video for Television Series "One Strange Rock" will transport a virtual reality camera to the ISS to record a National Geographic special on the Earth as a natural life-support system. Crew onboard the ISS will record a series of virtual reality pieces for incorporation into a larger documentary about the natural history of the Earth and the solar system. Each episode features a different crew member and uses next-generation virtual reality technology to address different topics related to our planet and the space program.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

This launch manifest adds to an impressive list of experiments from previous missions in 2017 including research in the areas of stem cells, cell culturing, protein crystal growth, external platform payloads, Earth observation, and remote sensing as well as student experiments. To learn more about these investigations and other space station research, visit www.spacestationresearch.com (http://www.spacestationresearch.com).

# # #

ЦитироватьAntares rocket rolled to Virginia launch pad for station cargo run
November 9, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

A commercial Antares rocket rolled out of a hangar on a one-mile trip to its launch pad on Virginia's Eastern Shore on Thursday, ready for final countdown preparations ahead of liftoff Saturday morning on a cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127087.jpg)
An Antares rocket rolls out to pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Thursday morning. Credit: Orbital ATK

The two-stage Antares launcher, assembled and operated by Orbital ATK, emerged fr om its horizontal integration building at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in the predawn hours Thursday. A self-propelled transporter carried the rocket on a mile-long trip south to launch pad 0A, a complex owned by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, a state agency chartered to attract commercial space business to the region.

The rocket rolled out in steady rain at the spaceport, and the Antares second stage and payload shroud were protected by a weather shield for the approximately two-hour transfer.

Ground crews engaged hydraulic cylinders to lift the 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) rocket vertical at pad 0A later Thursday. Technicians then began connecting propellant and other fluid lines between the launch pad and the Antares booster.

Orbital ATK's automated Cygnus spaceship, christened the S.S. Gene Cernan after the late moonwalker, is fastened on top of the Antares rocket with approximately 7,385 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of cargo and supplies for the space station and its six-person crew.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127088.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

There is a 95 percent chance of favorable weather for Saturday's launch attempt, and officials said sub-freezing temperatures expected overnight before launch should not be a problem.

Temperatures are forecast to be between 25 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit at launch time Saturday, above the 20-degree limit for an Antares launch.

Climate-controlled air routed through ducts leading into the Antares rocket will ensure the Cygnus spacecraft, its engines and avionics remain within acceptable temperature and humidity constraints. Three environmental control umbilicals will blow air into the Antares payload fairing, the intertank section between the first stage's liquid oxygen and kerosene tanks, and into the booster's aft bay.

"Those three volumes, we keep them nice and cozy in cold weather, and we keep them cool in hot weather, and that enables us to launch in a variety of conditions," said Kurt Eberly, Orbital ATK's Antares program manager, in a Facebook Live event Thursday previewing the flight.

"Aside from those cold temperatures ... the rest of the key conditions look really excellent," Eberly said. "The winds are benign, they're from a good direction coming from the north. Upper level winds look pretty calm as well."

The launch team will load around 41,000 gallons (155,000 liters) of liquid oxygen and 21,000 gallons (79,000 liters) of rocket-grade kerosene into the Antares first stage beginning around 1 hour, 35 minutes before liftoff.

Saturday's blastoff will be the eighth time Orbital ATK has launched a resupply mission to the space station. Orbital ATK has used its own Antares rocket launched from Virginia four times — with one launch failure in 2014 — and contracted with United Launch Alliance for three Atlas 5 flights from Cape Canaveral.

Liftoff of the commercial resupply mission, named OA-8, scheduled for 7:37:25 a.m. EST (1237:25 GMT) Saturday to begin the Antares rocket's seven-minute climb into orbit, kicking off its pursuit of the space station. There's a five-minute launch window available Saturday.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127089.jpg)
The Cygnus spacecraft, christened the S.S. Gene Cernan, before encapsulation inside the Antares rocket's payload fairing Wednesday. Credit: Orbital ATK

Two kerosene-fueled RD-181 engines, made in Russia and derived from engines used on Zenit and Atlas 5 rockets, will power the Antares' Ukrainian-built first stage booster, combining to generate around 864,000 pounds of thrust. Shutdown of the RD-181 engines is planned for T+plus 3 minutes, 34 seconds, followed by first stage separation around six seconds later.

The launch Saturday will be the second Antares mission using RD-181 engines, which Orbital ATK ordered from the Russian engine-builder NPO Energomash to replace decades-old Russian-built AJ26 engines blamed for an Antares rocket crash seconds after liftoff in October 2014.

The RD-181 engines performed better than predicted on an Antares launch in October 2016, giving engineers confidence to loosen performance limits for the OA-8 launch. The engines produce more thrust than the AJ26s, and they will be programmed to fire around five seconds longer on Saturday's launch than on the last Antares flight.

"We flew to a delta velocity threshold," Eberly said in a press briefing earlier this year. "When we hit that, we shut down the engines. We had a lot of fuel left in the tanks. Now, we're just going to move that threshold a little higher and burn more of the fuel in the first stage. At that point in the flight regime, the acceleration is pretty high because the stage is pretty light. Most of the propellant is gone, so you actually pick up quite a bit of performance by burning just a few more seconds into that propellant residual in the tanks."

With the higher performance, the upgraded Antares can carry approximately 300 pounds more cargo than managers initially expected. The lifting of additional conservative flight constraints, coupled with further minor changes to the vehicle, will further raise the Antares rocket's payload capacity another 300 pounds in the coming years.

Once the first stage finished its job on Saturday's launch the Antares rocket's payload shroud will jettison in two halves at T+plus 4 minutes, 11 seconds. The launcher's Castor 30XL solid-fueled upper stage will ignite at T+plus 4 minutes, 23 seconds, and burn out at T+plus 7 minutes, 6 seconds, delivering the Cygnus cargo ship to an elliptical orbit less than 200 miles (300 kilometers) above Earth.

Deployment of the Cygnus supply carrier is set for T+plus 9 minutes, 3 seconds.

The spacecraft's two cymbal-shaped electricity-generating solar arrays will unfurl in a fan-like motion around 90 minutes into the mission, and the ship's thrusters will begin fine-tuning its approach to the space station with a series of course-correction burns Saturday and Sunday.

The Cygnus spacecraft will make a laser-guided final approach to the orbiting research lab Monday, closing to a distance of around 30 feet (10 meters) from the station. European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli, assisted by station commander Randy Bresnik, will take control of the lab's Canadian-built robotic arm to capture the Cygnus.

The arm will attach it to a port on the station's Unity module, wh ere it will stay until around Dec. 4. Astronauts will unpack experiments and supplies hauled inside the Cygnus' pressurized module, made by Thales Alenia Space in Italy, then load it with trash and other items marked for disposal.

Payloads slated for delivery to the station on the OA-8 mission include food, clothing and a multitude of research experiments.

The Cygnus spacecraft will raise its orbit to around 300 miles (500 kilometers) after departing the station in early December to release a slew of commercial and NASA-developed CubeSats, then the ship will brake out of orbit with the help of thrusters for a destructive re-entry over the South Pacific Ocean.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/928952932925657088)

It's L-1 and we're up early to give you an exclusive look at #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) with our #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) spacecraft on @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Pad 0A. Launch set for 7:37am tomorrow!

Video (0:45) (https://twitter.com/i/videos/tweet/928952932925657088)
(https://forum.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/file/77280) (https://twitter.com/i/videos/tweet/928952932925657088)

ЦитироватьSpace to Ground: 200th Episode: 11/10/2017

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220651.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/ReelNASA) NASA Johnson (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmheCYT4HlbFi943lpH009Q)

Опубликовано: 10 нояб. 2017 г.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/31676.png) NASA HQ PHOTO‏Подлинная учетная запись @nasahqphoto (https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto) 9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto/status/928976201795948544)

Good morning! Antares rocket and the "SS Gene Cernan" @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) cargo vehicle stand ready to resupply the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station): https://flic.kr/s/aHsm8Mbnfd  (https://t.co/Fth7Glptt0)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170866.jpg)

ЦитироватьNASA Silicon Valley Podcast - Episode 66 - Stevan Spremo

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220309.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/nasaames) NASA's Ames Research Center (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggQcRNVNRaH3uEb4nqf0zg)

Опубликовано: 7 нояб. 2017 г.

A conversation with Stevan Spremo, chief engineer and project manager for the EcAMSat Mission at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley.

ЦитироватьRob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted on November 10, 2017 (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/10/sunrise-at-the-launch-pad/)

Sunrise at the Launch Pad

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131030.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/NHQ201711100001.jpg)
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft aboard, is seen on launch Pad-0A, Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's eighth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131025.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/53T5269pb.jpg)
Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131026.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/53T5318pb.jpg)
Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black

[свернуть]

Цитировать NASA Wallops @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/928979244784472064)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170867.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170868.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170869.jpg)

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Orbital ATK‏ @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/928995388903841792)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170854.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170855.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170856.jpg)

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьRob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted on November 10, 2017

Weather Forecast 'Excellent' for Tomorrow's Launch

Aside from the unseasonable cold temperatures, weather conditions look excellent for Nov. 11's launch attempt of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket with no real weather concerns at this time, according to the latest forecast for the range at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Weather at launch time, 7:37 a.m. EST, is forecast at 95 percent favorable.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131031.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/NHQ201711100001.jpg)
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft aboard, is seen on launch Pad-0A, Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's eighth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

A strong cold front will move through the Wallops Region this morning, Nov. 10, ushering in the coldest airmass of the season. Gusty northwesterly winds will bring a dry and cold airmass into the Wallops Region, with winds possibly gusting as high as 30-35 mph during the late morning and early afternoon today. A broad area of Canadian high pressure will quickly build in behind the front, centering over the Great Lakes Region and ridging south toward the Wallops Region for Saturday morning's launch.

The unseasonably cold airmass will allow for shallow cumulus cloud development over the Chesapeake Bay this evening into Saturday morning; however, a northerly component to the wind will force the cumulus cloud cover south and west of the Wallops Region. There is only a very slight chance that the cumulus cloud cover will move over the Wallops Region Saturday morning. This weather setup will bring mostly clear and cold conditions for Saturday morning, with temperatures expected to bottom out in the mid- to upper-20s.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьPhotos: Rollout of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket
November 9, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

Riding a self-propelled transporter, an Orbital ATK Antares rocket rolled out to it launch pad Thursday on Virginia's Eastern Shore for final preparations to send a Cygnus supply ship to the International Space Station.

Спойлер

The two-stage rocket was stood up at pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility after a predawn rollout from Orbital ATK's horizontal integration facility. The approximately two-hour transfer occurred in steady rain, and ground crews added weather protection to the Antares rocket's upper stage and payload fairing for the rollout.

Technicians engaged hydraulic cylinders to lift the 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) rocket vertical at pad 0A after it rolled up the ramp to the facility. Technicians then began connecting propellant and other fluid lines between the launch pad and the Antares booster.

The Antares rocket's first stage is powered by two kerosene-fueled RD-181 main engines that will generate around 864,000 pounds of thrust after liftoff. A Castor 30XL solid rocket motor powers Antares' upper stage.

The Cygnus spacecraft atop the rocket will ferry more than three tons of supplies, food and experiments to the space station's six-person crew. Liftoff is set for Saturday at 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT).
Read our full story (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/09/antares-rocket-rolled-to-virginia-launch-pad-for-station-cargo-run/) for details on the mission.

The photos below show the Antares rocket rolling out at Wallops on Thursday.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127090.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Patrick Black

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127091.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127092.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127093.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127094.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127095.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127096.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127097.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127098.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127099.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127100.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127101.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127102.jpg)
Credit: Orbital ATK

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127103.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127104.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127105.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127106.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127107.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127108.jpg)
Credit: Orbital ATK

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127109.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127110.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Terry Zaperach

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127111.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127088.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127112.jpg)
Credit: Orbital ATK

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 13 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929015788933087232)

Getting ready for the L-1 press conference. Tune in to @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) TV now to watch live! http://www.nasa.gov/ntv  (https://t.co/8qyalmwaOS)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170884.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929019535658799104)

Fun fact: #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) liftoff will occur about 3.5 seconds after engine ignition

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929023382775107585)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) will stay at @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) until Dec. 4. After Cygnus unberths, it will be used to simulate a commercial crew capsule at the station

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 49 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929023887316316160)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is carrying various crew care packages from family members. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) will also bring fresh fruits & vegetables to astronauts on board @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 45 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929014485527998464)

Good morning fr om NASA Wallops, wh ere a pre-launch press conference for the #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) mission will be starting in a few minutes on NASA TV.

38 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929016438144360448)

Dan Hartman, NASA: on track for #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) launch Saturday, with capture and berthing of the Cygnus at ISS on Monday.

37 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929016757393731584)

Hartman: Cygnus will be berthed at ISS until Dec 3; will depart fully loaded with disposable cargo. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

36 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929017133870219265)

Hartman: Cygnus release will actually be Dec 4, same day as scheduled launch of Dragon from Florida. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

29 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929018815316463617)

Frank DeMauro, Orbital ATK, notes it will be a "beautiful" day tomorrow. [But cold...][/li][/LIST]

28 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929019273791655936)

Kurt Eberly, Orbital ATK: working one issue with a nitrogen regulator on the pad; that will be swapped out this afternoon. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

26 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929019793658843142)

Eberly: lower temperature constraint for Antares is 20˚F, so no issue with launch tomorrow morning (with temps in mid-20s.) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

22 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929020755630751749)

Camille Alleyne, NASA: flying about 1900 lbs of science payloads on #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash), supporting almost 300 investigations for Expeditions 53/54.

13 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929022874307805184)

DeMauro: remainder of Cygnus missions under CRS contract, and initial CRS2 missions, will also launch on Antares from Wallops. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929024687090397184)

DeMauro: slipped launch from Nov 10 to 11 in order to get earlier arrival date at ISS. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

31 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929026459498434560)

DeMauro: Cygnus and Antares for OA-9 mission coming together, could be ready for launch as soon as 1Q/18 depending on NASA's needs.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929025091056390144)

Late cargo load on the pad is a capability that will be available starting on OA-11

6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929025993016250369)

The OA-9 #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) vehicle is currently being configured for launch at @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)

3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929026924176904192)

"We've been investing in both #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) & #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) to provide the best capabilities possible to our @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) customer" - Frank DeMauro

ЦитироватьRob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted on November 10, 2017

OA-8 Pre-launch Press Conference Round-up

The pre-launch press conference for tomorrow's launch has concluded. Systems tests this morning went well, and weather conditions remain green.

Orbital ATK will launch its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit to the International Space Station, targeted for 7:37 a.m. EST Nov. 11, 2017, from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The launch window is open for about five minutes.

Systems tests this morning went well, with one nitrogen regulator on the ground being changed out with a replacement this afternoon. Orbital ATK's minimum temperature constraint for Antares is 20 degrees F, so currently forecast launch temperatures (and the overall weather) are not expected to pose a problem. At launch time, temperatures are expected to be about 25 to 30 degrees.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131032.gif) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131032.gif)
This time lapse shows Orbital ATK's Antares rocket rolling out of the HIF (the Horizontal Integration Facility) at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Nov. 9. Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131033.gif) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131033.gif)
The mile-long journey from the HIF to the launch pad takes about two hours to complete. This time lapse covers the latter part of that journey. Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131034.gif) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131034.gif)
Once the tilt begins, the total time to go from horizontal to vertical alignment takes roughly 20 minutes. Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black

The countdown clock begins at 1:22 a.m. EST Nov. 11. Fueling begins roughly 90 minutes before launch. Live NASA TV coverage and commentary (https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive) will begin at 7 a.m., and Wallops will play live views of the launch pad (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops) on Ustream beginning at 1:15 a.m.

Sunrise occurs not long before the launch window opens, which may negatively influence the ability for viewers outside the local area to see the launch.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131035.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/oa-8_visibility_final_0.jpg)
This map shows the visibility of the upcoming launch of Orbital ATK's CRS-8 mission from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, with numeric values indicating the time (in seconds) after liftoff the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft may be visible.

The journey from launch to orbit takes about nine minutes, with Cygnus then scheduled to rendezvous with the International Space Station on Nov. 13.

[/li]
• Payload details (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/Orbital-Gene-Cernan-Supply-Delivery)
  

[свернуть]

Цитировать

Orbital ATK Set to Launch Eighth Cargo Resupply MIssion to the International Space Station

Antares Rocket Will Launch Heaviest Payload to Date

Cygnus Spacecraft to Demonstrate Expanded Science Capabilities at International Space Station

Dulles, Virginia 10 November 2017 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, today announced it is set to launch the company's AntaresTM rocket carrying its CygnusTM cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station. Pending completion of final vehicle testing and acceptable local weather conditions, the launch will take place November 11 with lift-off scheduled for 7:37 a.m. EST fr om the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.

Спойлер

The mission, designated OA-8, will be Orbital ATK's eighth cargo delivery mission for NASA. The Antares medium-class rocket will carry its heaviest cargo load to date, approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of vital supplies and scientific equipment that will support the crew aboard the International Space Station. The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to rendezvous and berth with the station on November 13, 2017.

Orbital ATK names each Cygnus spacecraft in honor of astronauts and individuals who contributed to the United States' commercial space program. The OA-8 mission honors former NASA astronaut Gene Cernan, who passed away last January. Cernan, a veteran of one Gemini and two Apollo missions, set records for both lunar surface extravehicular activities and longest time in lunar orbit, paving the way for the future of human space exploration.

Upon arrival at the space station, the "S.S. Gene Cernan" Cygnus will be unloaded and utilized for the first time as an extension of the orbiting laboratory for an experiment featuring the SpaceTango facility, TangoLab. TangoLab is a reconfigurable general research facility designed for microgravity research and development. This exercise will demonstrate the ability to expand the station's capabilities for hosting experiments using the Cygnus Module. 

Cygnus will remain docked for approximately one month to allow the astronauts aboard the space station to perform the transfer of the lab to Cygnus and then back to the station wh ere it will remain. Once Cygnus is unberthed, a NanoRacks deployer will release 14 Cubesats, a record number for the spacecraft. Upon completion of its secondary missions, Cygnus will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Among the cargo is a student experiment sponsored by Orbital ATK in a partnership with Higher Orbits, a Virginia-based non-profit, and its Go For Launch! program. The high school team known as the "Saguaro Snakes" from the Go For Launch! event in Gilbert, Arizona, captured first place for an innovative science experiment that studies the growth of peanut plants in space.

Under the CRS-1 contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of cargo to the International Space Station. Beginning in 2019, Orbital ATK will carry out a minimum of six initial cargo missions under NASA's 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.

Live coverage of the Antares launch and Cygnus berthing with the station will be available on NASA Television at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. Details about the mission can be viewed at http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page.

B-roll and animation footage for the mission can be found here: http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/bmc/#. Please note that media will be prompted to request a PIN for access.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьRevamped Antares Rocket Ready for Second Launch with Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft
November 10, 2017 (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/antares-ready-for-cygnus-oa-8-launch/)

Orbital ATK is gearing up for the company's second Cygnus mission of the year, targeting liftoff atop an upgraded Antares 200-series rocket Saturday morning fr om the Wallops Flight Facility. Cygnus OA-8, christened the S.S. Gene Cernan after the late Moonwalker, is loaded with 3,338 Kilograms of supplies for the International Space Station plus 14 CubeSats that are to be deployed into a higher orbit after Cygnus departs the Space Station after a planned three-week stay.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152123.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/24437727928_709cba37ab_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Cygnus OA-8 is the fifth U.S. resupply mission to the International Space Station this year coming after three successful SpaceX Dragon missions and the OA-7 mission that launched on an Atlas V rocket back in April. Orbital ATK, in coordination with NASA, opted to put the OA-7 spacecraft on an Atlas V, as had been done with the OA-4 and 6 missions that flew while the Antares rocket stood down following the October 2014 launch failure on the Orb-3 mission that sent the rocket back to the drawing board to be fitted with new engines.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152178.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/OA8_AftBay.jpg)
Photo: Orbital ATK

Antares 230, sporting imported RD-181 engines fr om Russian manufacturer NPO Energomash, flew for the first time on the OA-5 mission in October 2016. However, the decision to switch the OA-7 mission was made to ensure the flight could depart on time and take pressure off Orbital ATK's Antares team that had worked long hours on the path toward the critical return to flight mission.

Orbital ATK informed NASA they would be ready to support a launch of OA-8 in the summer and the flight was scheduled for a mid-September liftoff for some time before NASA requested the mission to be pushed two months to wait for more cargo to be ready.

Liftoff from Virginia's Eastern Shore is set for a five-minute window opening at 12:37:25 UTC on Saturday with weather odds showing a 95% chance of favorable conditions despite freezing temperatures expected through the night. Temperatures at liftoff will be on the low end but still within allowable limits for the Antares launcher that is supplied conditioned purge flow to keep the Cygnus spacecraft, avionics bay and engine section at the appropriate temperatures with the primary temperature-related concern being an extended cold soak on the second stage's solid rocket motor.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152168.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/DOCtXmSU8AE1MQx.jpg)
Cygnus Late Cargo Load – Photo: Orbital ATK

The 42.5-meter tall Antares rocket took its vertical launch position atop Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Thursday following a pre-dawn rollout from its Horizontal Integration Facility.

The Cygnus OA-8 spacecraft is loaded with 3,229 Kilograms of pressurized cargo, packed into a cargo carrier built in Italy that resides atop a Service Module built by Orbital ATK and holding the power-generating solar arrays, maneuvering thrusters and proximity navigation systems for the craft's link-up with the International Space Station. Cargo packed into the spacecraft consists of 740 Kilograms of science investigations, 1,240kg of crew supplies, 851kg of vehicle hardware and 166kg of spacewalk equipment and computer resources.

The Cygnus OA-8 spacecraft has the highest cargo upmass of all Cygnus spacecraft launched by Antares rockets, in part enabled by stellar performance of the upgraded Antares rocket demonstrated on the OA-5 launch in 2016 (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa5/).

>> Antares 230 Launch Vehicle (http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/antares-200-series)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152179.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/OA8_HIF.jpg)
Photo: Orbital ATK

On that mission, conservative design margins were employed to ensure a safe delivery of Cygnus into its planned orbit, though post-flight analysis showed that the first stage still had considerable propellant reserves when it reached its velocity target and shut down the engines.

To that end, Saturday's first stage burn will be extended by five seconds compared to OA-5, raising the overall ascent performance and allowing Cygnus to take on more cargo. Future refinements of Antares' performance capabilities and minor upgrades are expected to add another 200kg of possible upmass which would allow Cygnus to be packed to its maximum capacity of 3,500kg.

The cargo of the OA-8 mission is more on the supplies side compared to the recent science-laden Dragon missions that gave the four U.S. Segment crew members plenty of work to manage dozens of experiments riding up and down on Dragon. The majority of cargo on Cygnus is comprised of food provisions and supplies for the crew, consumables and spare part for the Station and some spacewalking gear. This will extend the available supplies until at least June 2018 when food provisions would reach their reserve levels as food is typically the limiting consumable per the Station's supply management plan.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152131.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/26513828869_6d414096a2_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA

In addition to pressurized cargo, Cygnus is carrying 109kg of unpressurized cargo, holding fourteen CubeSats that will be deployed into an orbit around 100 Kilometers above ISS after Cygnus completes its supply delivery. Among the CubeSats of the OA-8 mission are several commercial satellites as well as technology demonstration and research missions flown by NASA to study the behavior of antibiotic-resistant E. coli bacteria in space and test out a new type of communications antenna that could boost CubeSat data rates by a factor of 100.

>> See our Cygnus OA-8 Cargo Overview Page for more Information (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/cargo-overview/)

The OA-8 mission is the first flown by Orbital ATK under the extended Commercial Resupply Services Contract that awarded an additional three flights to Orbital ATK and eight Dragon missions to SpaceX as NASA has to bridge a gap to the second CRS contract round that will see SpaceX, Orbital ATK and Sierra Nevada handle the Station's cargo needs for the first half of the next decade.

Countdown & Launch Sequence

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152130.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/26512689289_13f4cfa886_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Countdown operations will kick off eight hours ahead of the opening of the brief launch window on Saturday. Controllers will report to console to open the Launch Checklist, beginning with a Call to Stations ahead of activation of the Antares launcher for a multi-hour checkout campaign involving the avionics and communication systems while, in parallel, range assets at Wallops are readied for the launch and teams finish close outs of the rocket and launch complex.

The launch vehicle is activated at L-5 hours to begin a Combined Systems Test with the Cygnus spacecraft that verifies that all systems on the vehicles can communicate and function as advertised. Testing includes C- and S-Band communication checks, telemetry verifications, Cygnus systems checks, a final Mission Simulation Test and Flight Termination System checks.

After activation of the Propellant Loading Sequencer, pad systems will enter conditioning for propellant loading – being pressurized and chilled down before the first stage of the two-stage rocket will head into oxidizer tank chilldown. Starting at L-1 hour and 55 minutes, the Yuzhmash-built first stage will be loaded with over 170 metric tons of liquid oxygen and nearly 65 tons of Rocket Propellant-1.

>> Countdown Timeline (http://spaceflight101.com/antares-countdown-timeline/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152122.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/24417803868_baa1df5abb_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Only the 27.6-meter long first stage of the Antares rocket has to be loaded during the countdown – the second stage is a 26-metric-ton Castor 30XL Solid Rocket Motor that will be tasked with giving Cygnus the final push into orbit.

Flight software load and final checkouts commence inside L-1 hour, working towards a Go/No Go Poll as clocks tick down to L-10 minutes. At that point the launcher will perform final reconfigurations and Cygnus will be switched to internal power and transition to flight mode.

At T-5 Minutes, the Flight Termination System and Antares Launcher are switched to internal power. Starting at T-3 minutes and 30 seconds, the countdown will enter its automated phase that is controlled by the Auto Sequencer and involves final reconfigurations of Antares to put it in its launch configuration, notably the pressurization of tanks, the handover of control, transfer to internal power & arming of the termination system.

The twin RD-181 engines will rumble to life by injecting liquid oxygen and ignition fluid into the gas generators and combustion chambers to begin driving the turbopumps and reach a liftoff thrust of 392 metric-ton force, creating an initial thrust to weight ratio of 1.3 compared to 1.16 for the previous iteration of the Antares rocket.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152158.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/9805667745_dc40e86906_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA (File)

Immediately after lifting off, the two engines will gimbal to move the tail end of the rocket away from the Transporter-Erector-Launcher that will retract at the moment of launch. Completing a pitch and roll maneuver, Antares will swing to the south-east to intercept the orbital plane of the International Space Station.

Antares will pass the speed of sound around one minute into the flight followed a few seconds later by Maximum Dynamic Pressure, flying a pre-programmed attitude profile on the first stage optimized for load relief in the dense atmosphere.

Because of the higher performance and flow rates of the new engines, Antares will have a shorter first stage burn time compared to the 100 Series, shutting down around three minutes and 34 seconds into the flight. The 3.9-meter diameter core stage is jettisoned six seconds after shutdown, marking the start of a passive coast phase to allow the vehicle to climb uphill so that the second stage burn can raise the perigee to orbital altitude.

Just before ignition of the Castor 30XL, Cygnus will be revealed when the two ten-meter long fairing halves will be split open and drop away as aerodynamic forces are no longer a factor outside Earth's dense atmospheric layers. The 1-2 Interstage Adapter is also jettisoned while the vehicle is in coast flight to shed unnecessary weight ahead of the upper stage burn.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152120.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2016/10/OA-8-Launch-Viewing-Map-First-Sighting_high.jpg)
OA-8 Ground Track & Visibility – Image: Orbital ATK / NASA Wallops

Ignition of the Castor 30XL occurs at approximately T+4 minutes and 23 seconds, 150 Kilometers in altitude to give Cygnus the final push to reach orbit. Castor 30XL provides an average thrust of over 300 Kilonewtons over the course of its 2-minute 38-second burn with a peak thrust level at 396kN. The second stage uses energy management to precisely inject the payload into its desired orbit and correct any errors that occurred during first stage flight.

Previous Cygnus missions targeted a 210 by 290-Kilometer insertion orbit inclined 51.6 degrees from wh ere the spacecraft will use its BT-4 main engine to link up with the Space Station in its nearly circular orbit just over 400 Kilometers in altitude.

Following burnout of the second stage seven minutes and six seconds into flight, the vehicle will again coast in order to allow residual thrust to tail off on the solid rocket motor to ensure a clean spacecraft separation. A cold gas thruster system provides attitude control during the passive flight phase and orients the stack for the separation of the payload.

Sent on its way nine minutes and three seconds after liftoff, Cygnus will establish a stable three-axis orientation and initiate communications through the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. The critical deployment of the spacecraft's two circular UltraFlex solar arrays is expected to commence 90 minutes into the flight and will take around 15 minutes before teams will be able to confirm they have a power-positive spacecraft ready for the climb to the Space Station.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152162.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/C-BpI9oXoAA3Qe4.jpg)
Photo: NASA

The spacecraft will start maneuvering later on Saturday to begin raising its orbit while also closing the gap toward the Space Station to set up for proximity operations Monday morning with Cygnus approaching from behind and below before reaching a point directly under ISS wh ere a straight-up approach to the capture point will commence.

Coming to a halt within reach of the Station's robotic arm, Cygnus will hold perfectly still to be captured by ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli who will be at the control of Canadarm2, backed up by ISS Expedition 53 commander Randy Bresnik. Upon berthing to the Unity module of ISS, Cygnus will be opened for business for a fairly short docked stay that is currently expected to end on December 4, in time before the next Dragon spacecraft arrives at the Station as the last U.S. resupply vehicle of the year.

[свернуть]

Цитировать11/10/2017 22:56

The Antares launch team this morning completed their final pre-countdown verifications, including a combined systems test in which the launcher's telemetry transmitters were powered up for a compatibility check with the Wallops range.

Спойлер

Kurt Eberly, Orbital ATK's Antares program manager, told reporters this morning that the only minor issue being resolved today is with a faulty nitrogen regulator on the Antares rocket's ground systems at pad 0A.

The regulator is being replaced this afternoon, and it should not be a problem for tomorrow's launch.
The Antares team will arrive in the launch control center around 1 a.m. EST (0600 GMT) Saturday, and the countdown clock will start ticking at 1:22 a.m. EST (0622 GMT).

Loading of the Antares rocket's first stage with RP-1 fuel and liquid oxygen should begin around 90 minutes prior to liftoff.

The launch team will load around 41,000 gallons (155,000 liters) of liquid oxygen and 21,000 gallons (79,000 liters) of rocket-grade kerosene into the Antares first stage.

Liftoff of the 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia, is set for 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT) Saturday with more than three tons of supplies for the International Space Station.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 54 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929082968018227201)

Our #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) spacecraft is carrying 14 @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) cubesats to deploy after its departure from @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 28 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929091059149426689)

We're excited to partner with @HigherOrbits (https://twitter.com/HigherOrbits) to launch student-designed experiments to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) on #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170898.jpg)

ЦитироватьRob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted on November 10, 2017

About the Science: What's on Board OA-8

Orbital ATK will launch its Antares rocket at 7:37 a.m. EST on Nov. 11, 2017, from Virginia Space's Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Cygnus spacecraft atop Antares is loaded with 7,400 pounds of cargo for the International Space Station. Apart from food and other equipment, much of this cargo is research-geared, supporting 300 new or ongoing scientific investigations occurring as part of the International Space Station's Expedition 53-54.

Спойлер

Here are some highlights of research that will be delivered to the station:

Investigation tests bacterial antibiotic resistance in microgravity
Antibiotic resistance could pose a danger to astronauts, especially since microgravity has been shown to weaken human immune response. E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/engineering/projects/ecamsat)) will study microgravity's effect on bacterial antibiotic resistance. The experiment will expose two strains of E. coli, one with a resistance gene, the other without, to three different doses of antibiotics, then examine the viability of each group. Results from this investigation could contribute to determining appropriate antibiotic dosages to protect astronaut health during long-duration human spaceflight and help us understand how antibiotic effectiveness may change as a function of stress on Earth.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131027.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/ecamsat_fact_sheet_0.jpg)
EcAMSAT, undergoes thermal vacuum power management testing at NASA Ames. The test simulates the thermal vacuum and power environment of space and is an element of the spacecraft's flight validation testing program. Credit: NASA

CubeSat used as a laser communication technology testbed
Traditional laser communication systems use transmitters that are far too large for small spacecraft. The Optical Communication Sensor Demonstration (OCSD (http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/ocsd_project.html)) tests the functionality of laser-based communications using CubeSats that provide a compact version of the technology. Results from OCSD could lead to significantly enhanced communication speeds between space and Earth and a better understanding of laser communication between small satellites in low-Earth orbit.

Hybrid solar antenna seeks solution to long distance communications in space
As space exploration increases, so will the need for improved power and communication technologies. The Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/isara.php)), a hybrid solar power panel and communication solar antenna that can send and receive messages, tests the use of this technology in CubeSat-based environmental monitoring. ISARA may provide a solution for sending and receiving information to and from faraway destinations, both on Earth and in space.

Nitrogen fixation process tested in microgravity environment
The Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis (Biological Nitrogen Fixation (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2717.html)) investigation examines how low-gravity conditions affect the nitrogen fixation process of Microclover, a resilient and drought tolerant legume. The nitrogen fixation process, a process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into a usable form for living organisms, is a crucial element of any ecosystem necessary for most types of plant growth. This investigation could provide information on the space viability of the legume's ability to use and recycle nutrients and give researchers a better understanding of this plant's potential uses on Earth.

Life cycle of alternative protein source studied
Mealworms are high in nutrients and one of the most common sources of alternative protein in developing countries. The Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of Tenebrio Molitor (Tenebrio Molitor (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2718.html)) investigation studies how the microgravity environment affects the mealworm life cycle. In addition to alternative protein research, this investigation will provide information about animal growth under unique conditions.

Investigation studies advances in plant and crop growth in space
The Life Cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana in Microgravity (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2719.html) investigation studies the formation and functionality of the Arabidopsis thaliana, a mustard plant with a well-known genome that makes it ideal for research, in microgravity conditions. The results from this investigation will contribute to an understanding of plant and crop growth in space, a vital aspect to long-term spaceflight missions.

The Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Tenebrio Molitor are student investigations in the Go for Launch! – Higher Orbits program (http://higherorbits.org/) and sponsored by Space Tango (http://www.spacetango.com/) and the ISS National Lab, which is managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS (http://www.iss-casis.org/)). The Arabidopsis thaliana investigation, also a student investigation, is a part of the Magnitude.io (https://magnitude.io/) program, sponsored by Space Tango and CASIS.

OA-8 marks Orbital ATK's eighth cargo delivery mission to the space station, and the research on board will join many other investigations currently happening aboard the orbiting laboratory. Follow @ISS_Research (https://twitter.com/ISS_Research) for more information about the science happening on station.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929081018371465216)

Henry Martin, NanoRacks: for first time we're flying full set of 14 cubesats on Cygnus external deployers; will release at 500 km altitude after Cygnus departs ISS. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929082879929470977)

Elwood Agasid of NASA discussing two of the cubesat missions on #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash): ISARA (test of integrated Ka-band antenna) and OCSD (optical comms and prox ops).

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK CRS-8 Prelaunch Mission Status Briefing

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220647.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/NASAtelevision) NASA (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLA_DiR1FfKNvjuUpBHmylQ)

Опубликовано: 10 нояб. 2017 г.

NASA commercial cargo provider Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its eighth mission to the International Space Station at 7:37 a.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 11 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Live launch coverage will begin at 7 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency's website. On Friday, Nov. 10 mission managers provided an overview of the mission, and status of launch operations during a prelaunch briefing. Under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract, Cygnus will carry about 7,400 pounds of crew supplies and hardware to the space station, including science and research in support of dozens of research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 53 and 54.

ЦитироватьMission Update

...
Additoinal launch information including a launch profile, mission description and fact sheets can be found below.

Antares Launch Profile

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209404.jpg) (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Images/Launch%20Profile_SocialMedia.png)

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK CRS-8 Prelaunch Science Briefing

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220647.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/NASAtelevision) NASA (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLA_DiR1FfKNvjuUpBHmylQ)

Опубликовано: 10 нояб. 2017 г.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185572.jpg) NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/929236411282280448)

Countdown has stared for an @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) rocket to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station), delivering scientific investigations. Launch is at 7:37 a.m. ET Watch at 7 am ET: http://go.nasa.gov/2hqPYuI (https://t.co/vwpswo1vpF)

Цитировать11/11/2017 09:32

The countdown began on time to begin final preps for today's 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT) blastoff of the 14-story Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The Antares rocket will be powered up shortly after 3 a.m. EST (0800 GMT), and the launch team is going through a checklist of testing to ensure all systems are in good shape. The launch pad is also scheduled to be evacuated of all personnel.

The call-to-stations for the engineers on the launch team occurred around 1 a.m. EST (0600 GMT), with voice checks and opening of the prelaunch checklist at 1:22 a.m. EST (0622 GMT).

Propellant loading should begin around 90 minutes prior to liftoff.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg) Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 54 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/929244628099960832)

The Antares launch countdown is underway at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia for liftoff at 7:37am EST (1237 GMT) on a space station resupply mission. Listen to the Orbital ATK team conduct their pre-flight checks: https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/10/oa-8-mission-status-center/ ... (https://t.co/utt7kjEikk)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170920.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg) Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 42 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/929248969217200128)

A cold airmass is in place over the Antares launch pad in Virginia, with the current temperature around 30 degrees Fahrenheit. But there are no weather concerns that could prohibit liftoff at 7:37am EST (1237 GMT). https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/10/oa-8-mission-status-center/ ... (https://t.co/utt7kjEikk)

ЦитироватьUpdated: 11/11/2017 10:25

The launch weather officer at Wallops just briefed the Antares team, and the outlook remains favorable for liftoff at 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT), about one hour after sunrise on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

A cold airmass is in place over the launch base, with current temperatures on Wallops Island measured at 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and a wind chill of 20 degrees. Mostly clear skies are observed over the launch pad.

There is less than a 5 percent chance of weather conditions exceeding launch commit limits. At launch time, the weather office predicts a few low-level clouds, scattered high-level clouds, light northerly winds, and a temperature of 27 to 29 degrees Fahrenheit.

The low temperature constraint for an Antares launch is 20 degrees.

"We are currently not tracking any issue and are not expecting any at T-0."

Цитировать11/11/2017 10:43

The Antares launch team is powering up the vehicle for pre-launch tests at this time.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 5 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/929185654566739968)

FEATURE ARTICLE: Antares ready for Cygnus CRS-8 mission to the ISS - https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/antares-cygnus-crs-8-iss/ ... (https://t.co/zStrbwS0El) - By William Graham. Additional Antares and Cygnus renders by Nathan Koga (@kogavfx (https://twitter.com/kogavfx)) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash)
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Antares ready for Cygnus CRS-8 mission to the ISS (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/antares-cygnus-crs-8-iss/)
November 10, 2017 by William Graham

ЦитироватьPhotos: Antares rocket stands atop Virginia launch pad
November 11, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

Orbital ATK's seventh Antares rocket stands ready for launch with a Cygnus supply ship Saturday on a two-day flight to the International Space Station.

Спойлер

The two-stage Antares rocket, standing 139 feet (42.5 meters) tall, is set for liftoff at 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT) Saturday from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia.

Nearly 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of scientific hardware, crew supplies and spare parts are packed inside the Cygnus spacecraft to replenish the station's stockpile of research and provisions.

These photos from Wallops Island were captured on Friday evening, the day before the Antares rocket's scheduled liftoff.

Read our full story (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/09/antares-rocket-rolled-to-virginia-launch-pad-for-station-cargo-run/) for details on the mission.

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Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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Cygnus OA-8 Cargo Overview

Cygnus OA-8 is the eighth operational cargo-delivery mission by Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services Program to keep the International Space Station stocked up on supplies and deliver new experiments. The mission features a demonstration of the TangoLab laboratory facility to allow Cygnus to double as a temporary science module and the craft will deploy a record number of CubeSats after departing the Space Station following a planned one-month stay.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152162.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/C-BpI9oXoAA3Qe4.jpg)
Photo: NASA

The mission is officially designated Cygnus OA-8E to denote it is part of an extension to the original Commercial Resupply Service 1 contract to bridge a gap to the start of CRS-2 missions that will cover the Station's cargo needs through the first half of the 2020s. Under the extension, Orbital ATK received an additional three mission orders through February 2019 while CRS-1 partner SpaceX received a contract extension of eight additional Dragon 1 missions starting in late 2017 and running through 2020.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152134.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/30283027982_3f28519cc8_k.jpg)
The first launch of the re-engined Antares – Photo: NASA

Orbital ATK's Cygnus made its first launch in 2013 atop the company's Antares rocket followed by a pair of operational missions before Antares encountered a catastrophic launch failure on the Orb-3 mission in October 2014 – causing a long stand-down of Antares launch operations. While Antares was being redesigned to use new engines, a pair of Cygnus missions launched on Atlas V rockets to keep up a steady chain of supplies headed to ISS. Although the revamped Antares successfully debuted in October 2016, Orbital ATK placed the OA-7 mission on an Atlas V to ensure it could keep up its obligations to NASA and avoid excessive pressure in getting the second Antares 200 rocket to the launch pad.

Starting with OA-8E, all remaining Cygnus missions under CRS-1 will be flying on Antares 230 rockets that now use Russian-built RD-181 engines instead of the AJ26 engines that were implicated in the failure of Orb-3 and had also shown problems on the test stand. Offering a higher performance, the RD-181 also allow Cygnus to be loaded with a greater cargo mass for delivery to the International Space Station.

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Cygnus Mission Profile – Credit: Orbital ATK

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OA-8 Processing – Photo: NASA

The Cygnus OA-8E mission is carrying a total cargo upmass of 3,338 Kilograms, comprised of the typical mixture of science investigations, crew supplies, maintenance gear and spacewalk equipment.

The spacecraft is also hosting a NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer loaded with 14 CubeSats for deployment after Cygnus departs ISS into an independent orbit around 500 Kilometers in altitude to give the satellites additional lifetime compared to deployment directly into the ISS orbit. The experiment hardware aboard the Cygnus OA-8E satellite supports dozens of over 250 experiments underway as part of ISS Expeditions 53/54, taking advantage of having four crew members on the U.S. segment to ramp up the Station's science program.

[/li]
• Total Cargo Upmass: 3,338 kg
• Total Pressurized Cargo: 3,229 kg
• Science Investigations: 740 kg
• Crew Supplies: 1,240 kg
• Vehicle Hardware: 851 kg
• Spacewalk Equipment: 132 kg
• Computer Resources: 34 kg
  

[/li][li]Unpressurized Cargo: 109 kg
[/li][/LIST]

The Cygnus OA-8 spacecraft has been named the S.S. Gene Cernan after former Astronaut Eugene Cernan who passed away in January 2017. Cernan flew as part of Project Gemini, traveled to the Moon and back on Apollo 10 in the 'grand rehearsal' for the historic Apollo 11 mission and returned to the Moon in 1972, becoming the last human to leave a footprint on the Moon under program Apollo.

OA-8 is set for liftoff in November 2017 and is booked for a month-long stay at the Space Station to facilitate the transfer of internal cargo to the Space Station and the demonstration of the TangoLab system. Two powered polar freezers will launch aboard the Cygnus, loaded with cold stowage items including various samples to be exposed to the space environment.

ExoLab and Arabidopsis thaliana

The "Life Cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana in Microgravity" experiment studies the morphology and physiology of thale cress using modular growth chambers for microgravity studies. Plants are grown fr om germinated seeds under automated light, temperature and nutrient conditions while cameras document the growth at every stage to determine plant viability and the effectiveness of the cultivation modules and nutrient treatment.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152172.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/exolab_spacetango-2.jpg)
Photo: magnitude.io

The experiment is flown on an ExoLab experiment platform designed by magntitude.io as a new type of educational tool to bring together classrooms and the International Space Station for an investigation of the effects of microgravity on living things, accompanied by lesson material for grades 6 through 8. "Working with school districts across the United States along with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Magnitude.io seeks to provide an extraordinary exobiology experience mapped to accepted local science standards while dramatically reducing the cost to access experiments in space," the company said on its project website.

The initiative includes a space-based experiment to be performed in December 2017 and ground-based experiments schools can perform in identical ExoLab facilities procured fr om magnitude.io. Students can look for relationships between the environmental conditions found on Earth and in the space environment that may impact how the plants develop and grow.

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Photo: magnitude.io

The ExoLab facility is hosted by the TangoLab facility and is designed based on the CubeSat specification, measuring 10 x 10 x 22 centimeters in size (2 CubeSat Units) and hosting a series of sensors and the plant growth chamber itself. Sensor equipment on ExoLab includes luminosity, temperature, carbon dioxide and humidity sensors as well as a camera to document plant growth. The system transmits its data through the Station's WiFi network and data will be accessible online after downlink fr om orbit.

Arabidopsis thaliana has been chosen as a model organism for the experiment since it is a very well understood species and has been used in numerous previous space experiments. It is particularly well suited for a space-based experiment due to its small size and fast growth rate, allowing multiple plants to be studied.

Tenebrio Molitor

Tenebrio Molitor, going by the full name of "Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of Tenebrio Molitor," explores how the microgravity environment affects the life cycle of mealworms which are considered good test subjects since they are well-studied organisms. The automated experiment apparatus, also hosted in the TangoLab facility, will collect regular imagery of mealworm growth stages fr om larva to adult life to be compared to mealworms developing on Earth with sample returned to Earth for additional laboratory analysis after exposure to space.

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TangoLab aboard ISS – Photo: NASA/SpaceTango

Mealworms are of profound importance on Earth since they are able to survive on a minimal fiber-based diet while representing the most popular source of alternative protein in the developing world and considered critical for future Earth population maintenance. A space-based experiment looking into the adaptation or altered growth phases in mealworms may highlight new, possibly more efficient methodologies for mealworm growth and harvesting for consumption on Earth or – further down the line – as protein supplements on long-duration space missions to distant targets. Another interest prospect of efficient mealworm growth could be their ability to degrade polysterene in waste disposal.

The Tenebrio M olitor expe riment hosts several larvae of the same reproductive phase placed in a ventilated container that also provides oats to serve as mealworm food and carrot slices to provide water. Imaging is provided at regular intervals over the course of the mission for the identification of visual effects of potential morphological responses to microgravity. The hypothesis of the experiment is that mealworms will grow larger and reach maturity faster in the space environment, compared to Earth-based control experiment runs.

Biological Nitrogen Fixation

The "Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis" experiment looks into how microgravity conditions can affect the nitrogen fixation process in a well-known legume – microclover. Hosted by the TangoLab module, the experiment features a plant support chamber and sensors to track the atmospheric nitrogen content throughout the mission to assess nitrogen capture rates in microgravity and allow comparison to Earth-based experiments followed by detailed lab analysis of returned plant samples.

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Photo: NASA/SpaceTango

Nitrogen fixation through biological processes (BNF) is crucial in Earth's Nitrogen Cycle as it represents the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into soil nitrogen that is usable by plants. Legumes are very efficient when it comes to this process and often develop a symbiotic relationship with prokaryotic bacteria in order to convert atmospheric nitrogen into organic compounds in the nodules of the root system of the plant.

This particular experiment looks at the symbiosis between microclover and rhizobium bacteria to acquire a better understanding of the fixation process in a microgravity environment which could potentially advance technology in the field of commercial soil nutrition.

The experiment facility contains a wetted, loamy soil mix, several sprouted microclover seeds and various sensors. Regular measurements of gaseous nitrogen within the sealed experiment chamber will be used to quantify the fixation rate while nitrate measurements in the soil media occur pre- and post-flight. A camera system documents the plant growth process over time.

Understanding the nitrogen fixation processes in space will be of importance for future mission designs with landed habitat missions wh ere crews would rely on plant growth as food source. Earth-applications are supported by analyzing the nitrogen cycling abilities of a plant frequently used for soil conservation.

STaARS BioScience-5

STaARS BioScience-5 studies how Staphylococcus aureus – an opportunistic bacterium that is a common cause for skin infections – loses its harmful properties and characteristic yellow-golden color when exposed to microgravity. Experiments such as this can exploit the unique environment found on the Space Station to reveal previously unknown regulatory processes that naturally occur on Earth but are not detectable using traditional laboratory methods and could offer pathways to disarming pathogens through medication.

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Photo: Tom Kyler, Space Technology and Advanced Research Systems, Inc.

Staph aureus is named for its golden color as 'aurum' is the Latin word for gold. It is a member of the normal flora of the body and is not always pathogenic, though in around 30% of its carriers can cause skin and respiratory infections and food poisoning. In spaceflight-analog cultures, the cartenoid responsible for the bacterium's characteristic color is drastically repressed, representing a significant and easy-to-read biological indicator of a response to the spaceflight environment. Furthermore, pigmentation is a tracer for the virulence of many pathogenic microbes including methicillin-resistant Staph aureus (MRSA).

The biochemical mechanisms for cartenoid synthesis within S. aureus are well understood, but the regulatory factors affecting their production are largely uncharacterized and knowledge is also incomplete on whether microbes can regulate their pigment production in favor of survival under changing environmental conditions. Understanding the mechanisms behind pigment production and virulence is critical when attempting to develop treatments. Furthermore, knowledge on the antioxidant properties of pigments may also be beneficial in promoting human health.

The use of the actual space environment for further studies of S. aureus may yield additional information on previously undiscovered regulatory pathways. STaARS BioScience-5 hosts automated culturing equipment to grow S. aureus in space and deliver cultures to an observation chamber at regular intervals to employ a microscope to study morphological changes of the bacteria cells while a spectro-photometer provides precise information on pigment concentration at various points in the experiment.

The experiment is conducted using the Nexus Lab hardware and is part of the late stowage items prior to launch, being ferried to the Space Station in cold stowage wh ere the samples are scientifically stable for two weeks. Upon arrival at ISS, the NexusLab is installed in the STaARS-1 Experiment Facility wh ere the experiment will run for ten days before being placed into cold stowage for return. A second experiment performed after the initial space-based experimentation will look at the interaction of a proprietary drug on a specific cell type.

CubeSats

EcAMSat

The E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) is a 6U CubeSat dedicated to an investigation on whether and how microgravity affects the antibiotic resistance of E. coli, a well-known bacterial pathogen for gastro-intestinal infection in humans and animals.

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Photo: NASA

Developed in a collaboration between NASA's Ames Research Center and Stanford University, the mission uses heritage from the PharmaSat project flown in 2009 with a number of upgrades.

The overall objective of the experiment is determining the lowest concentration of antibiotic that inhibits bacterial growth.

>> Detailed Satellite Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/?page_id=237)

ISARA

ISARA – the Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna – is a technology demonstration CubeSat undertaken by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to demonstrate a Ka-Band reflectarray antenna that will boost data rates for small-satellite missions from a baseline of 9.6kbit/s to over 100Mbit/s while doubling as a solar array – combining two essential satellite functions into one integrated system for a modest increase in spacecraft mass.

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Image: NASA/JPL

Data budgeting and power generation have become two fundamental issues for CubeSat missions: sensors like cameras, meteorological instruments and onboard computing elements have reached a stage of miniaturization wh ere small CubeSats can generate a data volume matching that of flagship satellite missions.

>> Detailed Satellite Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/?page_id=247)

OCSD B & C

The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration is a CubeSat technical demonstration mission by the Aerospace Corporation dedicated to testing of a small laser communications system that could increase the volume of data downlinked by small satellite missions. Furthermore, the satellite tests a cost-efficient optical sensing system for spacecraft rendezvous and stationkeeping.

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Photo: Aerospace Corp.

The Aerospace Corporation was sel ected for the OCSD project by NASA in 2012 under the Small Spacecraft Technology Program. The goal of the project was the in-flight validation of a number of Commercial Off-the-Shelf components and subsystems, in particular communications and proximity operations capabilities.

>> Detailed Satellite Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/ocsd/)

PropCube 2

PropCube 2 is the third of three PropCube satellites developed by the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), flying under the Propagation CubeSat series to study artificial ionization in Earth's ionosphere.

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Photo: Naval Research Lab

Developed by the NPS, the satellites use a commercial 1U CubeSat platform provided by Tyvak NanoSatellite Systems integrated with purpose-built sensors to measure ionospheric electron density and irregularities.

Featuring UHF and S-Band receivers, the satellites are tasked with measuring total ionospheric electron content, plasma irregularities by their amplitude and phase scintillations, and artificial ionospheric disturbances.

>> Detailed Satellite & Project Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/?page_id=271)

Lemur-2

Several Lemur-2 satellites, operated by Spire Global, are launching aboard the Cygnus OA-8 mission to replenish and expand the company's constellation dedicated to obtaining global atmospheric measurements for operational meteorology and tracking ship traffic across the planet for various commercial applications.

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Photo: Spire

Lemur-2 was inaugurated in 2015 with the launch of four satellites atop an Indian PSLV, introducing the STRATOS and SENSE instruments.

>> Lemur-2 Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/lemur-2/)

Asgardia 1

Asgardia 1 is a proof-of-concept / outreach mission operated by Asgardia Space, the self-proclaimed 'Space Nation'. The 2.8-Kilogram 2U CubeSat hosts a 512-gigabyte Solid State Drive that launches with pre-loaded data to demonstrate long-term data storage and data integrity in the challenging radiation environment in Low Earth Orbit. Two radiation sensors are also part of the satellite's payload to map solar flux and measure accumulated radiation dose on the outside and inside of the satellite.

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Image: Asgardia Space

Asgardia, officially the 'Space Kingdom of Asgardia,' is a proposal to create a new nation that will allow for access to outer space free of the control of other nations. In the current system under the Outer Space Treaty, governments have to authorize and supervise all space activities, be it by a government agency, commercial entity or private individual. By creating an independent nation, the project hopes to avoid restrictions imposed by the current system. Members of the public were invited to 'become citizens' by signing Asgardia's constitution and the intent is to apply for membership to the United Nations in 2018.

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Image: Asgardia Space

The project was initiated in 2016 by Russian scientist and businessman Igor Ashurbeyli who also serves as Head of Nation, though the intent is to move to a democratic system.

The Asgardia 1 satellite project is reportedly self-funded by Ashurbeyli. The file storage on the nanosatellite is to be loaded with personal files from the first 1.5 million members of Asgardia (=Asgardians) with data allocations of 500 kilobytes for the first 100,000 members, 200kB for the next 400,000 and 200kB for the next million. Files submitted can be images, music, video or text provided the uploader holds the copyright to the media they submit. Additional data will be up/downloaded fr om the satellite through the GlobalStar satellite constellation.

Built, launched and deployed by NanoRacks, the Asgardia 1 satellite and the data it contains will fall under U.S. jurisdiction.

CHEFsat

CHEFsat, going by the full name of Cost-effective High E-Frequency Satellite, is a 3U CubeSat mission dedicated to demonstrating consumer communications technology for use in space. The mission is operated by the Naval Research Lab.

According to information released by NASA, "CHEFSat specifically readies a consumer-grade radio frequency device for wider space use by testing its safety and effectiveness in a working CubeSat." Miniaturization of various electronic components for consumer devices has not gone unnoticed by the aerospace sector and offers an opportunity of integrating small-sized electronics into satellites to reduce power consumption and free up payload volume. Further details on the satellite and its payload are not available.

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Цитировать11/11/2017 11:09

The launch team has powered up the Antares and Cygnus vehicles for systems checks.

Цитировать11/11/2017 11:23

Orbital ATK's engineering team is working an issue on the hydraulics system on the Antares rocket's transporter-erector-launcher, the retractable support tower next to the booster.

Цитировать11/11/2017 11:38

Orbital ATK's management team is on console in the launch control center as engineers continue to run through pre-launch testing.

Цитировать11/11/2017 11:44

The countdown is moving into testing of the Antares rocket's beacon and telemetry transmitters. This will be followed by checks of the vehicle's flight termination system.

Цитировать11/11/2017 11:57

The propellant loading sequencer has been initiated, beginning steps to ready the Antares rocket and ground systems for filling of the first stage with liquid propellants later in the countdown.

Цитировать11/11/2017 12:08

Chilldown of the liquid oxygen loading system at launch pad 0A is now underway.

ЦитироватьAntares rocket's launch timeline on the OA-8 cargo mission
November 11, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

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Credit: Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK's Antares rocket will deliver the commercial Cygnus supply ship to an orbit with an altitude between 117 miles (189 kilometers) and 184 miles (296 kilometers) within about nine minutes of liftoff Saturday from Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Спойлер

The rocket's two RD-181 engines will ignite around 3.6 seconds before liftoff from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, a complex owned by the state of Virginia at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.

Launch is timed for 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT) Saturday.

The first stage's two RD-181 engines will power up to 864,000 pounds of thrust and burn for 3 minutes, 35 seconds to accelerate the rocket to more than 8,750 mph (3.9 kilometers per second) and an altitude of 61 miles (99 kilometers), then separate from the upper stage's Castor 30XL motor about six seconds later.

The launch, known as OA-8 in Orbital ATK's station resupply manifest, will be the second Antares mission using RD-181 engines, which the company ordered from the Russian engine-builder NPO Energomash to replace decades-old Russian-built AJ26 engines blamed for an Antares rocket crash seconds after liftoff in October 2014.

The RD-181 engines performed better than predicted on an Antares launch in October 2016, giving engineers confidence to loosen performance limits for the OA-8 launch. The engines produce more thrust than the AJ26s, and they will be programmed to fire around six seconds longer on the OA-8 launch than on the last Antares flight.

"We flew to a delta velocity threshold," said Kurt Eberly, Orbital ATK's Antares program manager, in a press briefing earlier this year. "When we hit that, we shut down the engines. We had a lot of fuel left in the tanks. Now, we're just going to move that threshold a little higher and burn more of the fuel in the first stage. At that point in the flight regime, the acceleration is pretty high because the stage is pretty light. Most of the propellant is gone, so you actually pick up quite a bit of performance by burning just a few more seconds into that propellant residual in the tanks."

With the higher performance, the upgraded Antares can carry approximately 300 pounds more cargo than managers initially expected. The lifting of additional conservative flight constraints, coupled with further minor changes to the vehicle, will further raise the Antares rocket's payload capacity another 300 pounds in the coming years.

Once the first stage finished its job on the OA-8 launch the Antares rocket's 12.8-foot-diameter (3.9-meter) diameter payload shroud will jettison in two halves at T+plus 4 minutes, 11 seconds. An interstage adapter that connected the first and second stages will separate at T+plus 4 minutes, 16 seconds.

The launcher's Castor 30XL solid-fueled upper stage will ignite at T+plus 4 minutes, 24 seconds, and generate up to 104,300 pounds of thrust during a burn lasting 2 minutes, 42 seconds. The second stage motor will burn out at T+plus 7 minutes, 6 seconds, then deploy the Cygnus spacecraft at T+plus 9 minutes, 6 seconds.

The spacecraft's two cymbal-shaped electricity-generating solar arrays will unfurl in a fan-like motion around 90 minutes into the mission, and the ship's thrusters will begin fine-tuning its approach to the space station with a series of course-correction burns Saturday and Sunday, setting up for a laser-guided final approach Monday.

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Цитировать11/11/2017 12:19

The Antares launch team is reshuffling steps in the countdown to allow a "red team" to deploy to pad 0A shortly to recharge the transporter-erector-launcher's hydraulic system. The launch team will defer hazardous operations, such as a test of the Antares destruct system, until the red team is finished with their work and departs the launch pad.

Цитировать11/11/2017 12:52

The red team has cleared the pad after troubleshooting the hydraulic system on the Antares rocket's transporter-erector-launcher.

Цитировать11/11/2017 12:57

With workers now safely away from the Antares rocket at pad 0A, the launch team is proceeding with testing of the flight termination system.

Цитировать11/11/2017 13:21

The launch team has completed internal power and arming tests on the flight termination system. The red team is about to return to the pad to finish work on the transporter-erector-launcher hydraulic system.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929297103792365568)

L-2 Hours: Setup for #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) propellant loading is now in work by the launch team for prop flows at L-1:35. Second Mission Simulation Test started 12 minutes ago. Countdown now in a built-in hold.

Цитировать11/11/2017 13:37

Two hours until launch. The Antares countdown is in a pre-planned hold, but the launch team is still targeting 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT) for liftoff from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929299117204963328)

L-1 Hour 52 Minutes: The Red Team has departed the launch complex after final hands-on tasks were completed. Launch Team is working a communications issue. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 1 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929300276288344064)

The Launch Weather Officer reported observed and forecast conditions are GO for launch. Cold temps are not an issue as #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) is provided warm purge flow; the only problem would be an extended cold soak on the second stage.

Цитировать11/11/2017 13:52

The latest briefing from the launch weather officer shows a 100 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time, with a few clouds, good visibility, northerly winds and cold temperatures.

The current temperature at Wallops Island is observed at 26 degrees Fahrenheit.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 4 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929301600950157312)

Showing a constraint on the Nitrogen Purge System. Launch Team is working to reduce temperatures. Comm issue also still in work. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать11/11/2017 13:58

The countdown has resumed after a 20-minute built-in hold.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 53 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929302884226863105)

L-1 hour and 37 minutes and we have GO for propellant loading. Weather is green with 0% probability of violation!

ЦитироватьUpdated: 11/11/2017 14:01

Propellant will soon be pumped into the Antares rocket's first stage. About 21,000 gallons of RP-1, a high-refined rocket-grade kerosene, and about 41,000 gallons of liquid oxygen will be loaded into the first stage over the next half-hour.

Спойлер

The kerosene is stored at roughly room temperature and the liquid oxygen is chilled to around minus 298 degrees Fahrenheit. The oxygen will slowly boil off during the countdown, and liquid oxygen will continue flowing into the rocket until shortly before liftoff.

One change introduced by the Antares 230 rocket, which made its maiden flight in 2016, is the elimination of "sub-cooled" liquid oxygen chilled and densified at minus 383 degrees Fahrenheit for the Antares rocket's old AJ26 engines. The RD-181s consume the oxidizer at its boiling point.

The first stage tanks are designed by Yuzhnoye and built by Yuzhmash in Ukraine based on heritage from the Zenit rocket. The liquid oxygen tank is positioned in the upper part of the 12.8-foot-diameter stage and the RP-1 tank is in the lower part of the stage.

The first stage's two RD-181 engines will consume the liquid propellant during a 3-minute, 35-second burn.

The Antares second stage, a Castor 30XL motor built by Orbital ATK, is propelled by solid fuel already loaded into the rocket.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 45 сек назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929303594343559168)

Confirmation that low-flow Rocket Propellant 1 load has begun as planned given by the launch team. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать11/11/2017 14:08

Filling of the Ukrainian-built first stage with kerosene fuel has switched to high-flow mode. The start of liquid oxygen loading will come in the next few minutes.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185572.jpg) NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 57 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/929305018183946240)

Fueling is underway for the @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) Antares rocket. The launch window opens at 7:37 a.m. EST. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops ... (https://t.co/YsAyesMVkz)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170940.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929305881551962114)

Low-flow Liquid Oxygen loading has started on #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash).

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929306716818345984)

The Launch Team has resolved the Nitrogen purge temperature & TEL hydraulics issues. Telemetry is being kept in open loop as a workaround of another issue. Range & #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) are GREEN, #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) looking good at prop load start.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg) Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 32 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/929307547768705024)

RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen are now both flowing into the Antares rocket's first stage. The launch team is not working any issues in the countdown at this time. https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/10/oa-8-mission-status-center/ ... (https://t.co/utt7kjEikk)

Цитировать11/11/2017 14:25

The gripper arms on the transporter-erector-launcher have opened, and it is moving to the so-called "pre-pullback" position.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929310237068324864)

Launch teams are not currently working any issues that would prevent an on time liftoff of Antares this morning at 07:37 EST (12:37 UTC). #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OribtalATK

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929310616766083073)

Anomaly Net getting busy again as the Launch Team discuss a pressure setting on the purge system. Not expected to become an issue. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929310868571123713)

And actually there is JUST NOW a constraint. Launch team thinks it's a "poorly written" constraint and not an actual issue for launch. They're discussing on the anomaly net & think they'll easily get a waiver to proceed. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OribtalATK

Цитировать11/11/2017 14:34

Liquid oxygen loading has transitioned to high-flow mode.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929312087033221120)

T-1 Hour! The #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) countdown continues to progress as planned - high-flow tanking is underway & final checks coming up. Window is 12:37-12:42 UTC, Weather is no issue.

Цитировать11/11/2017 14:43

Engineers are loading the trajectory file into the Antares flight computer at this time.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929313371303960576)

T-55 Minutes: The Transporter, Erector, Launcher has been primed for rapid retract at T-0. Flight software upload now in work by the Launch Team. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929313720857186304)

There are two flight trajectory profiles prepared for #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash), one for the opening of the five-minute window and one for the closing second, providing two opportunities to get the vehicle off the ground.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 1 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929314169102520320)

#Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) is clear to enter Helium loading after the pressurant bottles have been submerged in the supercold Liquid Oxygen. SIGI navigation system configuration now underway.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929314070527954944)

Just a quick note, @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) TV is NOT showing a live shot of the pad right now. They are showing sunset from last night. There are not people & a forklift at the pad right now. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OribtalATK

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929315278659473409)

Our to-the-second preferred launch time today is 07:37:25 EST (12:37:25 UTC). #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OribtalATK

Цитировать11/11/2017 14:57

40 minutes until liftoff. The Cygnus spacecraft on this flight is carrying 3,338 kilograms, or 7,359 pounds, of supplies to the International Space Station. This is the fifth flight of the enlarged Cygnus pressurized cargo module from Thales Alenia Spaec, providing 25 percent more interior volume for supplies. The spacecraft measures about 20 feet tall, and the pressurized cargo module has a volume of about 27 cubic meters, or 950 cubic feet.

Here are some statistics on today's launch:

[/li]
• 7th Antares rocket launch
• 2nd launch of the Antares 230 configuration
• 13th orbital launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
• 9th launch of a Cygnus spacecraft
• 1st orbital launch from Wallops in 2017
• 26th U.S. orbital launch in 2017
• 74th global orbital launch attempt in 2017
  

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929315777223602176)

Sunrise (above the clouds out over the ocean) at Wallops. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170944.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929317040426573824)

Launch team is now configuring Antares' comm to 'open loop' telemetry. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OribtalATK

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929318559515381760)

T-35mins and COUNTING. No issues being worked at this time. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OribtalATK

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929318864269299712)

Toxics & Distant Focusing Overpressure rules are GO for launch. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать11/11/2017 15:08

Liquid oxygen is flowing into the Antares rocket's Ukrainian-built first stage at a rate of 150 gallons per minute.

Цитировать11/11/2017 15:09

Orbital ATK's launch team just briefly lost telemetry from the Antares rocket, but the data stream has been restored.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929320039454527488)

Telemetry now back after some switching, Launch Team is GO for final Flight Termination System safe/arm tests. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 29 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929320785885519872)
 
And FTS activation is complete and good. No issues. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OribtalATK

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 33 сек назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929321290384723968)

The RD-181 engines have entered their Fuel Fill Sequence, priming the evacuated lines in preparation for ignition. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать11/11/2017 15:14

Upper level winds are reported go for launch.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 32 сек назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929322446645231616)

T-10mins and HOLDING. This is a built-in hold. Launch is planned for 07:37:25 EST (12:37:25 UTC). #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)

Цитировать11/11/2017 15:20

The sun has risen at Wallops Island.
(https://24liveblog.tradingfront.cn/event/a1d1e48ac5e611e7940ff23c919295de/20171111122012_481070.jpg?random=1510402838557)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 57 сек назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929322907695796225)

Flight Termination System now entering an additional test due to some noise on receiver chain A. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 1 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929323270146609152)
 
The #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) spacecraft has entered final preparations, switching to battery power for its ride to orbit.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929323307773710337)
 
Cygnus spacecraft transferring to internal power. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929323924185370624)

Cygnus spacecraft confirmed on internal power and is "nominal." Countdown resumes at 07:27:25 EST.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929324409508245505)

Antares/OA8: Final management poll complete; all systems go for launch!

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929324732842938368)

Antares/OA8: Countdown has resumed; 10 minutes to launch

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 16 сек назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929325276605091841)

#Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) now in final arming and GN2 conditioning is underway.

Цитировать11/11/2017 15:31

The RD-181 engines are being primed for ignition.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 54 сек назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929325998079991808)

The Launch Conductor has given a GO for #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) to be taken to internal power and external power to be switched off. http://bit.ly/2i39HxH (https://t.co/g71PvNcJ8P)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929326132553568256)

Good transition to internal power, bus voltages showing nominal values. Range verification is underway. Final FTS and SIGI status checks now in work. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929326235402014721)

Antares/OA8: 4 minutes to launch; green board

Цитировать11/11/2017 15:36

Range is red.

11/11/2017 15:36

ABORT.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929327121943662594)

Aircraft in the range.

Цитировать11/11/2017 15:39

The Antares team is safing the rocket after halting the countdown when an aircraft ventured into restricted airspace in the Wallops range.

Цитировать11/11/2017 15:40

With today's short launch window of just five minutes, the aborted countdown will lead to a scrub for the day. Another launch opportunity is available Sunday.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929327856991244289)

Antares/OA8: Launch is scrubbed for the day; launch time Sunday is 7:14:52am EST

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/929328596073746433)

Antares has had more than her fair share of Range Violators. At least we know what to get Wallops for Christmas.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170936.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/929328812428587008)

Name and shame:

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170935.jpg)

Цитировать11/11/2017 15:44

The Antares launch team will drain propellants from the rocket's first stage shortly.

ЦитироватьRob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted on November 11, 2017

OA-8 Scrubbed for Nov. 11; Next Attempt Nov. 12

The launch of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft has scrubbed for Saturday after an aircraft was detected in the vicinity of the launch pad. The next launch attempt is set for Sunday, Nov. 12 at 7:14 a.m. EST.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131036.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2017/11/screengrab1.jpg)
Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 13 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929336515402108928)

Antares/OA8: Looking ahead, a launch Sunday would result in Cygnus reaching the space station around 4:45am EST Tuesday, roughly the same time ULA/NASA plan to launch a Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg AFB in California to put a new NOAA weather satellite in orbit

ЦитироватьAntares Launch Scrubbed by Wayward Plane, Liftoff Re-Set for Sunday
November 11, 2017 (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/antares-launch-scrubbed-by-wayward-plane-liftoff-re-set-for-sunday/)

The launch of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket carrying the company's Cygnus cargo spacecraft had to be scrubbed at the last minute on Saturday due to a rogue aircraft entering the closed airspace around NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. Liftoff has been rescheduled for Sunday with a window opening time of 12:14:52 UTC to get the second Antares 200 series vehicle off the ground and send Cygnus on its way to the International Space Station.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152135.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/37603857454_cd0170e7f9_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Saturday's launch countdown had been mostly smooth sailing for the Orbital ATK launch team, heading into the Launch Checklist just after midnight local time when temperatures had dipped below freezing. Although on the low end of Antares' launch commit criteria, temperatures were not an issue and the Launch Team was successful in overcoming a range of smaller problems that cropped up over the course of the multi-hour countdown including occasional telemetry drop outs, noisy radio channels and problems with the warm purge flow supplied to the two-stage rocket.

With all issues closed out, Antares entered propellant loading at T-1 hour and 35 minutes to receive some 65 metric tons of Rocket Propellant 1 and 177 tons of Liquid Oxygen, loaded into the first stage of the rocket through interfaces in the launch mount with the solid-fueled second stage not requiring any tanking operations during the countdown.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152132.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/26557521419_23c4011e6d_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Antares stood fully fueled when the Launch Team went through the final polls at T-10 minutes followed by the last manual steps to transition Antares to internal power, switch the twin RD-181 engines into high-purge flow and arming all ground and onboard ordnances. Computers assumed control of the countdown at the T-3-minute mark and Antares had begun pressurizing its tanks when the abort call was made by the Wallops range inside 90 seconds fr om the opening of the day's five-minute launch window.

The range had to call the abort due to a commercial aircraft entering the closed airspace around Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.

Notices to Airmen and Mariners were sent out in ample time to notify operators of the planned launch; however, Wallops has been plagued by rogue boats and aircraft in the past since the site is only used infrequently for space launches as opposed to Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Air Force Base wh ere launches are a common occurrence. Also, Wallops is NASA's only owned and operated range without the benefit of having a nearby Air Force base to help enforce range closures.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152136.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/37603860384_1bea16f760_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Antares has the luxury of a five-minute window as opposed to other launchers like Soyuz and Falcon 9 that only have instantaneous opportunities when aiming for ISS, but the window time was not sufficient for the aircraft to clear the area. As a result, the launch team was forced to safe Antares and back out of the terminal countdown, initiating de-tanking of the first stage and putting in motion a 24-hour turnaround.

Sunday's launch window opens at 12:14:52 UTC, 7:14 a.m. local time with launch moving earlier every day due to the progression of the Space Station's orbital plane.

The cargo of the OA-8 mission is more on the supplies side compared to the recent science-laden Dragon missions that gave the four U.S. Segment crew members plenty of work to manage dozens of experiments riding up and down on Dragon. The majority of cargo on Cygnus is comprised of food provisions and supplies for the crew, consumables and spare part for the Station and some spacewalking gear. This will extend the available supplies until at least June 2018 when food provisions would reach their reserve levels as food is typically the limiting consumable per the Station's supply management plan.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152169.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/DOJuAFsW0AAF54i.jpg)
Photo: Orbital ATK

..

[свернуть]

.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 19 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/929343625326194688)

Had it confirmed that Jet Blue is off the hook. I'm told it was a small plane, a few miles offshore, was not answering FAA warnings. Bad pilot.

ЦитироватьAntares launch to resupply space station halted by wayward airplane
November 11, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

Managers aborted liftoff of a commercial Antares cargo launcher Saturday when an aircraft strayed into restricted airspace near the rocket's planned flight path east from a launch pad on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Спойлер

The Antares rocket and a Cygnus supply ship, both owned by Orbital ATK, were ready for liftoff at 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT) Saturday. The launch team loaded kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants into the first stage of the Antares booster, and a computer-controlled countdown sequencer took over for the final three minutes before liftoff.

But an unidentified aircraft ventured into the safety zone surrounding the rocket and its planned trajectory over the Atlantic Ocean.

"LC, LC, we are red," a member of the launch team told Adam Lewis, Orbital ATK's launch conductor. "We have an aircraft in the hazard area."

"Copy that," Lewis replied. "Abort, abort, abort. This is LC on the countdown net. Abort, abort, abort. Proceed to the abort safing checklist."

The Antares rocket had five minutes to take off Saturday and still send the Cygnus supply ship on a path to intercept the International Space Station and deliver 3.7 tons of cargo, provisions and experiments to the lab's six-person crew.

There was no time to wait for the aircraft to clear the the safety box, and managers ordered a scrub.
Another launch attempt is set for 7:14 a.m. EST (1214 GMT) Sunday from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Despite freezing temperatures in the upper 20s Fahrenheit, weather was not a problem during Saturday's countdown. Mostly clear skies and light winds will continue to be in the forecast Sunday, and there is less than a 5 percent chance weather will violate any of the Antares rocket's constraints.

Orbital ATK's launch team planned to drain propellants from the Antares first stage later Saturday morning, then prepare to return to the launch control center just after midnight Sunday to begin the countdown anew.

Authorities publish notices to pilots and mariners to keep them away from rocket drop zones and safety corridors, but the warnings sometimes go unheeded, prompting launch delays.

The Antares launch operates under a commercial license issued by Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees the flight to ensure public safety.

With Saturday's scrub, the Cygnus supply ship's arrival at the space station will move back one day until Tuesday.

Astronaut Paolo Nespoli will capture the automated cargo craft with the station's robotic arm around 4:45 a.m. EST (0945 GMT) Tuesday, around the same time a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket is set to lift off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on an unrelated mission to loft a NOAA weather satellite into orbit.

The Delta 2 launch is set for 4:47 a.m. EST (0947 GMT; 1:47 a.m. PST) Tuesday.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185572.jpg) NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/929348542942138369)

Weather forecast: 90 percent favorable for Nov. 12 launch attempt of @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)'s Antares rocket from Wallops; 5-minute window opens at 7:14 a.m. EST. Details: https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/11/forecast-for-nov-12-90-percent-favorable/ ... (https://t.co/LsRcbknlfr)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170923.jpg)

ЦитироватьRob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted on November 11, 2017

Forecast for Nov. 12: 90 Percent Favorable

Aside from the slight chance of cloud ceilings at 2,000 feet for Sunday morning's launch attempt, conditions look excellent with no real weather concerns at this time. The Wallops range forecast is 90 percent favorable.

Спойлер

Canadian high pressure will ridge over the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states today with dry and unseasonably cold conditions. The area of high pressure will remain over the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states through Sunday morning's launch attempt, before sliding off the coast Sunday afternoon. The low-level stratus cloudiness off the Wallops coastline this morning will remain off the Wallops coastline today. As the area of high pressure begins to slide off the Northeast coastline Sunday morning, there is a slight chance of the low-level stratus moving onshore over the Wallops Region Sunday morning.

The launch of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft was scrubbed for Nov. 11 after an aircraft was detected in the vicinity of the launch pad. The next launch attempt is set for Sunday, Nov. 12. The five-minute launch window opens at 7:14 a.m. EST.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186210.jpg) Trevor Mahlmann‏ @TrevorMahlmann (https://twitter.com/TrevorMahlmann) 56 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/TrevorMahlmann/status/929341292961828864)

what a beautiful Antares launch it would have been this morning. here was my view just before sunrise at the press site. next attempt tomorrow morning
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170942.jpg)

Цитировать

Launch:		TBD
Launch Site:		MARS Pad 0A, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia
Mission Customer:		NASA

Mission Update

November 11, 2017 - 8:30 a.m.

Orbital ATK's OA-8 mission was aborted on November 11, 2017 due to aircraft in the restricted area. The new launch date is being worked and will be updated as soon as possible.

Цитировать

Launch:		November 12, 2017; 7:14 a.m. EST
Launch Site:		MARS Pad 0A, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia
Mission Customer:		NASA

Mission Update

November 11, 2017 - 9:30 a.m.

Orbital ATK's OA-8 mission was aborted on November 11, 2017 due to aircraft in the restricted area. Next launch attempt is November 12, 2017 at 7:14 a.m. EST.

ЦитироватьIf the launch does not occur on Saturday, Nov. 11, the next launch opportunity is 7:14 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 12 with NASA TV coverage starting at 6:45 a.m.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929361667661713408)

We were working no issues until an aircraft flew into restricted airspace. We are currently de-tanking and will be ready to go tomorrow morning

2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929362159846481925)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) spacecraft remains healthy and ready for tomorrow's 7:14am EST launch

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 12 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929360175517093889)

Short briefing on this morning's scrub at Wallops starting momentarily. Not sure if it'll be webcast.

9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929361017808871424)

Bill Wrobel, Wallops director: spotted aircraft on radar, unable to contact by radio, had to scrub. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929361386358165506)

Kurt Eberly, Orbital ATK: deal with one minor issue with transporter erector; fixed in time. "We were ready to go."

6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929361717624295426)

Eberly: we'll be ready to go tomorrow. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929362057354530816)

Frank DeMauro: if launch Sunday, arrive at ISS Tuesday. Weather doesn't look nearly as good Monday, so if scrub Sunday try again Tuesday. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929363384079994880)

We have confirmed that the aircraft that aborted today's launch attempt was a small aircraft flying at about 500ft approximately 6 miles offshore.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929363628435927042)

Wrobel: can't give a specific dollar amount on scrub, but "it's a lot of money." Figure out later who pays. Plane in question was private plane, flying at 500 ft 6 miles offshore. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929363833470275584)

Wrobel: will be in contact with FAA to see what we can do better to inform pilots of restricted airspace. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

ЦитироватьAntares 230 aborted launch with OA-8 S.S. Gene Cernan Cygnus

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220782.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SciNewsRo) SciNews (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjU6ZwoTQtKWfz1urL7XcbA)

Опубликовано: 11 нояб. 2017 г.

The launch of the Orbital ATK Antares 230 launch vehicle with OA-8 S.S. Gene Cernan Cygnus from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, was aborted on 11 November 2017, at 12:36 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zqE_a3RFUA&t=756s) UTC (07:36 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zqE_a3RFUA&t=456s) EST), due to a range violation (an aircraft was detected in the vicinity of the launch pad).
Credit: NASA

ЦитироватьARCHIVE: Launch Scrubbed of Antares Rocket with Cygnus OA-8 Cargo Craft
 
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220764.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceVidsNet) Space Videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5d0UwSJJunRcRVzP1uDg)

Трансляция началась 4 часа назад

Orbital ATK were scheduled to launch their Antares rocket fr om Wallops Flight Facility at 12:37 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM5POTQoSXY&t=757s) UTC, November 11th 2017. The rocket will carry the unmanned Cygnus OA-8 cargo craft into orbit wh ere it will berth with the International Space Station.

Launch was scrubbed at the last minute due to an airplane entering the restricted range. Next launch attempt will be tomorrow, November 12th 2017 at 12:14 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM5POTQoSXY&t=734s) UTC.

Live Feed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgHEt... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgHEtmSXyeM)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185572.jpg) NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 15 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/929394528443912192)

For Nov. 12, 7:14 a.m. EST, launch of @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)'s Antares rocket from Wallops: live pad video feed begins at 12:50 a.m. on Wallops Ustream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops ... (https://t.co/YsAyesMVkz). Commentary, 6:45 a.m. on NASA TV: https://www.nasa.gov/live  (https://t.co/ITVqXS7EnK). #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) Other milestones: https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/11/looking-ahead-oa-8-launch-milestones-on-nov-12/ ... (https://t.co/kkTbXxJjIE)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170949.jpg)

ЦитироватьRob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted on November 11, 2017

Looking Ahead: OA-8 Launch Milestones on Nov. 12

On Nov. 12 Orbital ATK will launch its Cygnus spacecraft aboard an Antares rocket on a journey to the International Space Station from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The five-minute launch window opens at 7:14 a.m. EST. Cygnus is carrying 7,400 pounds of crew supplies, hardware and scientific research equipment.

Milestones (Approximate Timing)

[/li]
• 12:50 a.m. EST — live video of the launch pad airs on Wallops' Ustream (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops)
• 6:45 a.m. — live launch commentary airs on NASA TV (https://www.nasa.gov/live)
• 7:14 a.m. — five-minute launch window opens
• Launch + 3.7 seconds — liftoff
• L+ 3 min., 34 sec. — main engine cutoff (MECO)
• L+ 3 min., 40 sec. — first stage separation
• L+ 4 min., 11 sec. — fairing separtaion
• L+ 4 min., 16 sec. — interstage separtaion
• L+ 4 min., 24 sec. — second stage ignition
• L+ 7 min., 6 sec. — second stage burnout; orbit insertion
• L+ 9 min., 6 sec. — Cygnus  spacecraft separates — 121.3 miles altitude; 16,846 mph
  

Цитировать11/12/2017 12:12

The Antares countdown began anew earlier this morning, with the opening of the prelaunch checklist at 12:59 a.m. EST (0559 GMT).

The Antares rocket has been powered up, and the launch team is going through a checklist of testing to ensure all systems are in good shape.

Propellant loading should begin around 90 minutes prior to liftoff.

Цитировать11/12/2017 12:16

Earlier in the countdown, the launch team also tested the Antares rocket's beacon and telemetry transmitters, the flight termination system and arming systems, and the propellant loading sequencer was initiated, beginning steps to ready Antares and ground systems for filling of the first stage with liquid propellants.

Цитировать11/12/2017 12:18

Chilldown of the launch pad's liquid oxygen loading system is also confirmed underway.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 1 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929642190950846465)

Countdown operations re-started just after midnight, local time. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) was powered up and went through initial electrical and communication checks, guidance system config and safe/arm tests. The Prop Load Sequencer was started around one hour ago.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 3 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929642793974337536)

#Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) currently in propellant load setup tasks. The Red Team has been ordered back to the pad to deal with a misconfigured valve. Prop flow is expected at T-1 hour & 35 minutes, a little over an hour from now.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929650554556571648)

Toxics, wind drift and Distant Focusing Overpressure safety criteria are reported GREEN at the T-2.5-hour checkpoint. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать11/12/2017 13:16

Two hours until launch. The Antares countdown is in a pre-planned hold, but the launch team is still targeting 7:14 a.m. EST (1214 GMT) for liftoff from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929653939129278464)

#Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) countdown ops now in the first of two built-in holds. Fuel transfer lines have been primed for taking and Liquid Oxygen is into chilldown ops. Second Mission Simulation Test is complete.

Цитировать11/12/2017 13:23

The latest briefing from the launch weather officer shows a 95 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time, with just a slight probability of a low cloud ceiling that could move over the Antares pad at Wallops Island, Virginia.

Current conditions show a few clouds at 2,000 feet, broken to overcast cloud decks at 20,000 feet and 26,000 feet, unrestricted visibility, 5-knot winds from the northwest, and a temperature of 34 degrees Fahrenheit.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185572.jpg) NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/929658528293425154)

90 minutes until the launch window, and we are "go" for fueling of @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)'s Antares rocket.

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 3 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929658292015648768)

The #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) Launch Team has given a GO for propellant loading on time at T-1 hour and 35 minutes. Latest weather update is 95% GO with only a small chance of a low cloud ceiling building up before launch.

ЦитироватьUpdated: 11/12/2017 13:35

Propellant will soon be pumped into the Antares rocket's first stage. About 21,000 gallons of RP-1, a high-refined rocket-grade kerosene, and about 41,000 gallons of liquid oxygen will be loaded into the first stage over the next half-hour.

Спойлер

The kerosene is stored at roughly room temperature and the liquid oxygen is chilled to around minus 298 degrees Fahrenheit. The oxygen will slowly boil off during the countdown, and liquid oxygen will continue flowing into the rocket until shortly before liftoff.

One change introduced by the Antares 230 rocket, which made its maiden flight in 2016, is the elimination of "sub-cooled" liquid oxygen chilled and densified at minus 383 degrees Fahrenheit for the Antares rocket's old AJ26 engines. The RD-181s consume the oxidizer at its boiling point.

The first stage tanks are designed by Yuzhnoye and built by Yuzhmash in Ukraine based on heritage from the Zenit rocket. The liquid oxygen tank is positioned in the upper part of the 12.8-foot-diameter stage and the RP-1 tank is in the lower part of the stage.

The first stage's two RD-181 engines will consume the liquid propellant during a 3-minute, 35-second burn.

The Antares second stage, a Castor 30XL motor built by Orbital ATK, is propelled by solid fuel already loaded into the rocket.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg) Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/929660666008539136)

Fueling of the Antares rocket has started with RP-1 kerosene now flowing into the first stage. There are no issues reported at this point in the countdown. Live coverage: https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/10/oa-8-mission-status-center/ ... (https://t.co/utt7kjEikk)

Цитировать11/12/2017 13:45

Filling of the Ukrainian-built first stage with kerosene fuel has switched to high-flow mode. The start of liquid oxygen loading will come in the next few minutes.

Цитировать11/12/2017 13:49

Low-flow loading of liquid oxygen into the first stage has begun, the launch team confirms.

Цитировать11/12/2017 13:51

Спойлер

Fueling operations continue for today's liftoff at 7:14:52 a.m. EST (1214:52 GMT). The launch window extends for five minutes.

Wallops regularly launches suborbital sounding rockets for scientific and engineering research purposes, and the facility has occasionally launched small satellites with Orbital ATK's Minotaur rockets.

The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority owns the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, which oversaw development of the launch pad used by Antares. The Commonwealth of Virginia paid for about $80 million of the $120 million cost of the launch pad, with most of the rest of the funding coming from the federal government.

[свернуть]

Combined with the cost of the Antares hangar and a Minotaur rocket launch pad just south of the Antares facility, the MARS complex cost about $150 million.

After the Antares launch failure in October 2014, NASA, Orbital ATK and MARS each contributed $5 million to repair the launch pad.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929664608817819648)

So far, everything is proceeding well with the count. Fueling is underway. There are no constraints to launch at this time. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 1 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929665473393897472)

The Transporter-Erector-Launcher is now being prepared for launch by removing its pre-load, opening clamps and priming the structure for rapid retract at the moment of liftoff. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 19 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929666394135891968)

Our precise targeted launch time this morning is - right now - 07:14:52 EST (12:14:52 UTC). Launch teams will adjust the to-the-second mark a little later in the count. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash) @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929666364880707584)

Take 2 for the #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) launch from the press site.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170590.jpg)

Цитировать11/12/2017 14:06

The gripper arms on the transporter-erector-launcher have opened, and it has moved to the so-called "pre-pullback" position.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929666847540154369)

Teams have completed TEL (Transporter/Erector/Launcher) config to its pre pullback position. @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash)

Цитировать11/12/2017 14:11

Liquid oxygen loading has transitioned to high-flow mode.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929669048065019904)

T-1hr and counting. No issuess. @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash)

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 3 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929668786273255425)

T-1 Hour to the opening of today's five-minute window for #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) & #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash). Tanking is underway and final guidance & navigation configuration is the next countdown milestone.

Цитировать11/12/2017 14:21

Engineers are loading the trajectory file into the Antares flight computer at this time. The launch team also reports the rocket's helium pressurant bottles are submerged in the propellant tanks as fueling continues.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929670362899603456)

Flight computer trajectory file "2" is selected for flight. "0" was selected yesterday. @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/929670600511184896)

Ground and vehicle comms verified nominal at this time. @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) #OA8E (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8E?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 37 сек назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/929671136660676608)

SIGI - the Space-Integrated GPS/Inertial Navigation System - is now starting the final pre-launch alignment. #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать11/12/2017 14:25

...
Cygnus will unfold its solar panels around 90 minutes after liftoff.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/929687964455759872)

S/C Sep! OA-8 Cygnus on her way to the ISS following successful Antares launch! ARTICLE: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/antares-cygnus-crs-8-iss/ ... (https://t.co/zStrbwS0El) - by William Graham. COVERAGE: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=42553.0 ... (https://t.co/vDwyREFo4x)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170581.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170582.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170583.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170584.jpg)

[свернуть]

Цитировать

Antares launches with OA-8 Cygnus en route to the ISS (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/antares-cygnus-crs-8-iss/)

November 12, 2017 by William Graham

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185339.jpg) NASA‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA/status/929707045904834561)

LIVE NOW: Coverage resumes on the journey of @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)'s #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) cargo craft to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station). Watch: http://www.nasa.gov/live  (https://t.co/mzKW5uDsTi)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170566.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/929681203065708544)

Get these boats out of the bloody range, by any means, I say.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170576.jpg)

ЦитироватьLaunch of Antares Rocket with Cygnus OA-8 from Wallops

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220764.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceVidsNet) Space Videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5d0UwSJJunRcRVzP1uDg)

Опубликовано: 12 нояб. 2017 г.

In growingly rarer occurrence, An Orbital ATK Antares rocket lifted off from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia today at 12:19 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCZ28hyGvK0&t=739s) UTC, November 12th 2017. The rocket launching for it's 7th time, the last was in October 2016, carried the unmanned Cygnus OA-8 cargo craft into orbit with over 3,338 kilograms (7,359 lb) of cargo.

ЦитироватьOA-8 S.S. Gene Cernan Cygnus launched by Antares 230

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220782.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SciNewsRo) SciNews (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjU6ZwoTQtKWfz1urL7XcbA)

Опубликовано: 12 нояб. 2017 г.

An Orbital ATK Antares 230 launch vehicle launched OA-8 S.S. Gene Cernan Cygnus from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, on 12 November 2017, at 12:19:51 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6L4R9xKtSg&t=44391s) UTC (07:19:51 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6L4R9xKtSg&t=26391s) EST). The OA-8 Cygnus Cargo Delivery Spacecraft was named after former astronaut Eugene "Gene" Cernan - the last human to step foot on the Moon. To deliver cargo to the International Space Station for the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) OA-8 mission, Orbital ATK is using the Enhanced Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM). The cargo capability of the Enhanced Cygnus, developed by Thales Alenia Space, is more than 3500 kg.

ЦитироватьLaunch Replays of Antares Rocket with Cygnus OA-8 from Wallops

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220764.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceVidsNet) Space Videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5d0UwSJJunRcRVzP1uDg)

Опубликовано: 12 нояб. 2017 г.

Launch replays from cameras around the Wallops Flight Facility.

Цитировать11/12/2017 17:01

The first commands have been sent from Orbital ATK's control center in Dulles, Virginia, to begin firing bolts to release the UltraFlex solar arrays for deployment.

11/12/2017 17:13

Orbital ATK confirms the first of the two UltraFlex solar arrays has unfurled.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185462.png) NWS Columbia‏Подлинная учетная запись @NWSColumbia (https://twitter.com/NWSColumbia) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NWSColumbia/status/929712954899132417)

#GOES (https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOES?src=hash)-16 prelim, non-op data. #OrbitalAtk (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OrbitalAtk?src=hash)'s Antares rocket smoke plume visible after launch from @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops). Super cool! #caewx (https://twitter.com/hashtag/caewx?src=hash) #scwx (https://twitter.com/hashtag/scwx?src=hash) #gawx (https://twitter.com/hashtag/gawx?src=hash) #vawx (https://twitter.com/hashtag/vawx?src=hash)

https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DOcA92-WAAACxHv.mp4 (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DOcA92-WAAACxHv.mp4)
https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DOcA92-WAAACxHv.mp4

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185829.jpg) NWS Tucson‏Подлинная учетная запись @NWSTucson (https://twitter.com/NWSTucson) 14 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NWSTucson/status/929722889976385537)

How cool is this?! The #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) rocket was successfully launched from @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) earlier this morning. The smoke plume from the rocket can be seen on GOES-16's prelim, non-op satellite imagery! #azwx (https://twitter.com/hashtag/azwx?src=hash) #vawx (https://twitter.com/hashtag/vawx?src=hash)

https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DOcIGoHXcAAXEiD.mp4 (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DOcIGoHXcAAXEiD.mp4)
https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DOcIGoHXcAAXEiD.mp4

Цитировать11/12/2017 17:15

Both of Cygnus' solar arrays have deployed.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929715090835812352)

Solar arrays are fully deployed on the S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash). Next stop: @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)!

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185572.jpg) NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/929715092844875777)

Both solar arrays aboard @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)'s Cygnus spacecraft have been deployed, as of 9:15 a.m. EST.

ЦитироватьARCHIVE: Launch of Antares Rocket with Cygnus OA-8 Cargo Craft

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220764.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceVidsNet) Space Videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5d0UwSJJunRcRVzP1uDg)

Трансляция началась 4 часа назад

Orbital ATK are scheduled to launch their Antares rocket fr om Wallops Flight Facility at 12:14 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgHEtmSXyeM&t=734s) UTC, November 12th 2017. The rocket will carry the unmanned Cygnus OA-8 cargo craft into orbit wh ere it will berth with the International Space Station.

Цитировать

Orbital ATK Cygnus/CRS-8 Post-Launch News Conference (time subject to change) (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public)

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

ЦитироватьMission Update

Orbital ATK successfully launched its OA-8 mission aboard the company's Antares rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on November 12, 2017 at 7:19 a.m. EST. Cygnus rendesvous is scheduled for early morning Tuesday, November 14. The spacecraft will deliver vital supplies and scientific equipment to the station as part of Orbital ATK's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA.

(https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Images/Antares_launch.jpg)
Photo credit: Orbtial ATK/Thom Baur

ЦитироватьCygnus "S.S. Gene Cernan" En-Route to Space Station after Sunday Morning Commute to Orbit
November 12, 2017 (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/antares-launches-cygnus-oa8-cargo-spacecraft/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152137.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/37643684004_5918dbb4b3_o.jpg)
Photo: NASA

An Antares rocket thundered off fr om Virginia's Eastern Shore Sunday morning after a year-long break, carrying into orbit the eighth operational Cygnus cargo spacecraft headed to the International Space Station with over three metric tons of science gear, maintenance hardware and crew supplies. Antares lifted off from the Wallops Flight Facility at 12:19 UTC and operated as advertised to lift the 6,200-Kilogram cargo spacecraft into Low Earth Orbit for arrival at its high-altitude destination on Tuesday.

Спойлер

The Cygnus OA-8 spacecraft, christened the S.S. Gene Cernan after the late Gemini and Apollo Astronaut and the last human to set foot on the Moon, is loaded with 3,338 Kilograms of cargo for the International Space Station. It is the fifth U.S. resupply mission flying to ISS in 2017, coming after three successful Dragon missions and the Cygnus OA-7 flight that used an Atlas V rocket.

Sunday's launch was only the second flight of the upgraded Antares rocket that had debuted successfully over a year ago in October 2016 after a two-year stand-down following the dramatic 2014 launch failure of the original Antares rocket.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152124.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/24472910098_127113b1e5_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA

While Antares was sent back to the drawing board to be fitted with new engines, two Cygnus missions flew on Atlas V rockets to keep up Orbital ATK's obligations to NASA under their Commercial Resupply Services contract – also making up for lost cargo upmass on the Orb-3 mission as Atlas V allowed both Cygnus vehicles to be packed to capacity.

The decision to shift the OA-7 mission earlier this year to Atlas V was made by Orbital ATK and NASA to take advantage of the vehicle's schedule certainty and to maximize cargo upmass before the U.S. Segment aboard ISS stepped up to four crew members as a result of Russia cutting its ISS crew to two.

It also took some pressure off Orbital ATK's Antares team that had worked long hours on the Return To Flight effort of the re-engined Antares, now featuring a pair of RD-181 engines instead of the AJ26 engines that represented converted Soviet engines built in the 1970s and proved troublesome in the Orb-3 failure and multiple testing incidents.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152156.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/53t2459pb-2.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Orbital ATK informed NASA in early 2017 that the company would be able to support the OA-8 mission in the summer, potentially as early as July. OA-8 received an initial launch date in mid-September, but NASA requested the launch to be pushed two months for additional cargo to be readied. After three science-laden Dragon missions earlier this year, the Cygnus OA-8 mission is more on the supplies side and less focused on science with a total of 3,229 Kilograms of cargo packed into the pressurized section of the spacecraft.

Cargo aboard the S.S. Gene Cernan is comprised of 1,240 Kilograms of crew supplies including food and clothing, 851 Kilograms of vehicle hardware to keep ISS operating at full capacity, 740kg of science gear including several new experiments and materials for ongoing studies, and 166kg of spacewalk equipment and computer resources. 109kg of cargo are mounted externally as Cygnus OA-8 carries a full complement of 14 CubeSats in its own NanoRacks CubeSat Deployers for release into an orbit 100 Kilometers above ISS after Cygnus departs ISS.

>> Cygnus OA-8 Cargo Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/cargo-overview/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152167.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/DOCtXmQUMAAP9qM.jpg)
Cygnus Late Cargo Loading – Photo: Orbital ATK

The OA-8 mission is flying with two powered Polar freezers containing cold-stowage samples for various experiments and the Space Tango TangoLab module, containing several CubeSat-sized experiments for education and research, will be used to demonstrate that Cygnus could be used as an extension of the ISS laboratory modules by hosting experiments like the modular TangoLab. The spacecraft is booked for a three-week stay at ISS to be fully unloaded and depart the complex before the next Dragon spacecraft arrives, currently working toward launch on December 4.

After flying on three United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets, Orbital ATK expects to fly out its remaining manifest of four CRS-1 missions on Antares, including the OA-8 mission. The CRS-1 contracts have been extended by NASA, giving Orbital ATK and SpaceX additional missions through 2019 to bridge a gap until the second round of CRS contracts can go into effect with three cargo vehicle operators.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152159.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/antares-rd-181.jpg)
Photo: NASA

The upgraded Antares 200-series, in addition to a higher reliability expectation, also offers greater performance than its 100-series predecessors, enabled by the more powerful RD-181 engines manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia as a single-chamber version of the two-chamber RD-180 used on Atlas V and the four-chamber RD-171 on the Zenit rocket. During the first Antares 230 mission in 2016, Orbital ATK flew the vehicle with very conservative margins – shutting the first stage down when reaching a target velocity from which the Castor 30XL second stage could boost the vehicle into orbit.

However, post-flight analysis showed that the first stage had considerable propellant leftovers when hitting its target speed, boding well for further pushing Antares' performance by burning the first stage longer. Even with the conservative first stage shutdown, Antares achieved a slight overperformance on the OA-5 mission, translating to an apogee altitude around 50 Kilometers above the expected high point of the injection orbit.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152178.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/OA8_AftBay.jpg)
Photo: Orbital ATK

Antares was programmed to fire its first stage for an additional five seconds on Sunday, allowing an additional cargo upmass of 150 Kilograms. Further performance refinement and some minor upgrades will add another 150-200 Kilograms which would allow Cygnus to be loaded to its maximum capacity of 3,500 Kilograms on future missions.

Standing 42.5 meters tall and measuring 3.9 meters in diameter, Antares has a launch mass of 298 metric tons and represents a combination of components build in the Ukraine, Russia and U.S. – combining the expertise of Orbital ATK in the field of solid rockets for the second stage, Russia's high-performing oxygen-rich engine technology, and tankage from the Zenit rocket developed and built in the Ukraine.

>> Antares 230 Launch Vehicle Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/antares-200-series/)

Sunday's launch came after a one-day launch delay as teams had to abort the countdown at the last minute on Saturday when a small aircraft entered the restricted airspace around Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. Countdown operations were re-started just after midnight local time with a Call to Stations and setups for the start of the Launch Checklist at 5:59 UTC, containing some 420 steps to ready Antares for liftoff.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152140.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/38288607376_01d53cd4ef_k.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Temperatures were slightly warmer than for Saturday's attempt but again reached sub-zero Celsius temperatures over night, requiring Antares to be kept warm with heated purge flow under the fairing, into the avionics bay and to the engine section. All power-up steps in the early countdown portion went well and the Red Team departed the pad at around L-4 hours to permit Flight Termination System safe/arm tests and the setup for propellant loading.

With a clean vehicle and 90% odds of favorable weather, teams were able to press into propellant loading at T-1 hour and 35 minutes to fill the rocket's first stage with 65 metric tons of Rocket Propellant 1 and around 177 tons of Liquid Oxygen oxidizer. While tanking was underway, the launch team configured the rocket's navigation system, went through a second round of communication/FTS checks and transitioned Cygnus to its launch configuration.

The Launch Team was forced to move the launch to the end of the day's five-minute window as the Coast Guard had to chase a pair of boats out of the Launch Hazard Area.

A poll at T-10 minutes cleared Antares for liftoff and the Launch Team completed the last manual steps to transition Antares to internal power and arm all ordnances on the vehicle and the ground. Computers assumed control of the count at T-3 minutes to transition the guidance system to flight mode and pressurize the first stage followed by a last gimbal check on the engines in the last 30 seconds to liftoff.

>> Launch Profile (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/flight-profile/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152166.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/cygnus-oa8-launch-4.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Antares fired up its two RD-181 engines at the moment clocks hit zero at 12:19:51 UTC, soaring to a combined launch thrust of 392 metric ton-force with blastoff occurring 3.6 seconds after the ignition command was issued when both engines were verified to be operational. Rising from its pad half an hour after sunrise, Antares swiveled its engines to move the tail away from the Transporter-Erector Launcher and continuing an initial vertical climb of around 15 seconds.

Antares then entered its pitch and roll maneuver to align itself with a trajectory to the south east to intercept the orbital plane of the Space Station. Burning 1,200 Kilograms of propellant per second, Antares went through the sound barrier one minute into the flight and throttled back to 65% on its engines during the area of Maximum Dynamic Pressure, going through 8 Kilometers in altitude.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152163.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/cygnus-oa8-launch-1.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Performance by the first stage was rock solid and the two RD-181 engines shut down at T+3 minutes and 34 seconds after accelerating Antares to a speed of 3.8 Kilometers per second and taking it to an altitude of over 100 Kilometers. Separation of the spent core stage occurred six seconds after shutdown and the Castor 30XL stage immediately activated its cold-gas reaction control system to maintain a stable orientation for a passive coast phase of 43 seconds after staging to gain altitude.

Four minutes and 11 seconds into the mission, the ten-meter long fairing halves split open and separated as the stack passed 155 Kilometers in altitude wh ere aerodynamic forces were no-longer a concern. The second stage dropped its interstage cover to shed more unneeded weight and fired up the Castor 30XL solid rocket motor at T+4 minutes and 23 seconds to boost Cygnus into Low Earth Orbit.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152164.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/cygnus-oa8-launch-2.jpg)
Photo: NASA

Six meters in length and 2.34 meters in diameter, the Castor 30XL burned 24 metric tons of propellant over the course of a two-minute and 40-second firing. Castor 30XL delivered an average thrust of over 30 metric-ton force, peaking at 40,400kgf in the early portion of its burn before entering an extended tail-off designed to keep G-loads within limits toward the end of the burn when the vehicle is the lightest.

Telemetry displays showed Antares reaching an orbit of 200 by 328 Kilometers, 51.63° at the point of Castor 30XL burnout seven minutes and six seconds into the flight, marking an on-target & slightly-better-than-planned insertion of the vehicle. After burnout, the stage went into a two-minute coast to allow residual thrust to fully tail-off before sending the spacecraft on its way.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152165.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/cygnus-oa8-launch-3.jpg)
Image: NASA TV

Springs pushed the Cygnus away from the second stage nine minutes after liftoff with the spacecraft's first tasks being the acquisition of stable three-axis control and the initiation of communications through the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System to provide health telemetry to Orbital's Mission Control Center in Dulles, Virginia. Deployment of the two power-generating solar arrays is expected 90 minutes after launch and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and confirm Cygnus is power-positive and ready for its commute to ISS.

Heading off on a two-day rendezvous, Cygnus will conduct its initial orbit raising maneuvers later on Sunday with more fine-tuning maneuvers on Monday to set up for rendezvous on Tuesday. Approaching from behind and below, Cygnus will enter a climb straight up to ISS to arrive at the capture position within reach of the Station's robotic arm that will be controlled by ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli for a planned capture at 9:50 UTC on Tuesday.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьSpace station cargo shipment blasts off aboard Antares rocket
November 12, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

An Orbital ATK Cygnus supply ship packed with 3.7 tons of cargo, supplies and experiments rode an Antares rocket into orbit fr om Virginia's Eastern Shore on Sunday, setting course on a two-day pursuit of the International Space Station.

Running a day late after an airplane strayed into restricted airspace, scrubbing a launch attempt Saturday, the 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) Antares rocket lifted off at 7:19:51 a.m. EST (1219:51 GMT) Sunday fr om Wallops Island, Virginia.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127134.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Arcing toward the southeast from its oceanside launch pad, the Antares rocket climbed through broken clouds, putting on a thunderous early morning sky show for spectators gathered near NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.

Two Russian-built RD-181 main engines gave the Antares rocket an initial boost with around 864,000 pounds of thrust, then a solid-fueled Castor 30XL second stage, made by Orbital ATK, motor ignited to finish the task of placing the Cygnus cargo craft into orbit.

A commentator from Orbital ATK's launch team called out flight events during the seven-minute ascent into orbit, noting normal performance from the Antares rocket throughout the flight.

The Cygnus supply ship deployed from the Antares second stage around nine minutes into the mission as it flew in range of a tracking station in Bermuda. Telemetry from the rocket indicated it placed the Cygnus spacecraft in an orbit between 124 miles (200 kilometers) and approximately 205 miles (330 kilometers) in altitude, slightly higher than predicted.

The Cygnus spacecraft unfurled two fan-like "UltraFlex" solar arrays around an hour-and-a-half after launch, and the cargo craft is set to fine-tune its approach to the space station with a series of thruster firings over the next two days.

Orbital ATK christened the Cygnus cargo carrier the S.S. Gene Cernan, after the late moonwalker who died in January. The resupply run is named OA-8, the eighth operational cargo launch made by Orbital ATK since January 2014 under a multibillion-dollar contract with NASA.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127135.png)
Artist's illustration of a Cygnus spacecraft approaching the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital ATK

The automated spaceship will guide itself to a point around 30 feet (10 meters) beneath the space station, close enough for astronaut Paolo Nespoli to capture it with the lab's Canadian-built robotic arm around 4:50 a.m. EST (0950 GMT) Tuesday.

The robotic arm will place the Cygnus spacecraft on a berthing location on the Earth-facing side of the station's Unity module for a nearly three-week stay.

Members of the station's six-person crew will unload 7,118 pounds (3,229 kilograms) of cargo from the Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized module beginning Wednesday. The supply shipment includes:

[/li]
• 2,734 pounds (1,240 kilograms) of crew supplies
• 1,631 pounds (740 kilograms) of science investigations
• 291 pounds (132 kilograms) of spacewalk equipment
• 1,875 pounds (851 kilograms) of vehicle hardware
• 75 pounds (34 kilograms)
  

Fresh fruit and vegetables are among the goodies riding inside a refrigerator on Cygnus spacecraft.

"The crew is going to get some treats when they open up the hatch," said Dan Hartman, NASA's deputy space station program manager.

The station's four crew members living and working in the U.S. segment of the outpost will get to work on a multitude of experiments carried in the Cygnus. They will also relocate some research hardware already on the station into a rack inside the Cygnus cargo module, using the facility as a temporary research base.

Among the scientific supplies set for delivery to the station Tuesday are gas bottles to support an advanced combustion microgravity experiment, a habitat for research rodents launching on a future mission, and items for a 3D printer aboard the orbiting laboratory, according to Camille Alleyne, associate space station program scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Two CubeSats will be transferred inside the space station to join three others for release into orbit through the Japanese lab module's airlock.

One of the CubeSats is named the E. Coli Antimicrobial Satellite, or EcAMSat, is about the size of a small briefcase. Developed by engineers at NASA's Ames Research Center and scientists at Stanford University, EcAMSat will study the antibiotic resistance in space of E. coli, a bacterial pathogen responsible for urinary tract infection in humans and animals.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127136.jpg)
The EcAMSat spacecraft undergoes thermal vacuum testing. Credit: NASA

EcAMSat's mission is expected to last more than a year, and two types of E. coli cells — a wild and a mutant strain — contained in 48 microfluidic wells inside the CubeSat's miniature laboratory will be activated, grown and tested once the 23-pound (10-kilogram) satellite is ejected from the station's Japanese robotic arm, according to Stevan Spremo, EcAMSat's project manager.

"With this, we believe that we'll learn more about antibiotic resistance in the microgravity environment, wh ere E. coli are known to grow more virulently in space," Spremo said.

The results could help protect astronauts on future space missions and develop countermeasures that may be useful for humans on Earth, he said.

The other small spacecraft carried on the OA-8 mission and destined for deployment through the Kibo airlock is TechEdSat 6, another experimental CubeSat from the Ames Research Center in partnership with San Jose State University and the University of Idaho.

TechEdSat 6 is the latest in a series of CubeSats testing an "exo-brake" de-orbit system, a drag device uses aerodynamic forces — and not propulsion — to re-enter the atmosphere. The technology could eventually allow some space station research samples to return to Earth faster, and at less expense.

Station astronauts will repack the Cygnus spacecraft's Italian-built logistics module with trash before closing hatches and detaching the supply ship from the Unity module with the robotic arm Dec. 3.

Mission control will maneuver the Cygnus a few feet from another berthing port on the station's Harmony module, wh ere crew capsules from Boeing and SpaceX are expected to dock once they are ready to begin flying astronauts into orbit.

Engineers will use the Cygnus spacecraft to simulate the presence of a commercial crew craft at Harmony's space-facing port and check to ensure it does not block GPS navigation signals from reaching the space station.

Once those tests are finished, the robotic arm will release Cygnus on Dec. 4, and Orbital ATK's ground team will send commands to raise the ship's orbit to an altitude of around 300 miles (500 kilometers).

In that orbit, Cygnus will deploy 14 more CubeSats — ranging in size from a Rubik's Cube to a loaf of bread — from an external device provided by NanoRacks, a Houston-based company that offers small satellite deployments on space station cargo flights.

"OA-8 is yet another unique mission for NanoRacks," said Henry Martin, NanoRacks' senior mission manager. "We're thrilled to have a full external Cygnus deployer, displaying its maximum capability. This mission also brings new customers from outside the industry into space while continuing partnerships with existing customers like Spire for their ongoing satellite constellation. Notably, this mission will also deploy our first-ever propulsive satellite from the Cygnus spacecraft."

Eight of the CubeSats will join Spire Global's commercial weather satellite network, which derives humidity and temperature profiles by measuring GPS navigation signals passing through Earth's atmosphere.

Two AeroCube satellites assembled by the Aerospace Corp. for NASA's Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration mission will test high-speed laser communications and an innovative water-based propulsion system to maneuver in close proximity to one another.

"Our primary mission for OCSD is to demonstrate laser communications by using a laser on the spacecraft to downlink data to our optical ground station on Mt. Wilson in California," said Richard Welle, Aerospace senior scientist and one of the principal investigators for OCSD. "This is the first CubeSat laser communications system that will demonstrate an optical downlink. This compact laser package with its potential for much higher rates proves a promising future for CubeSat-scale laser communications."

The ISARA CubeSat developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will study the performance of an integrated solar array and radio antenna and a compact suite of three visible and infrared cameras that could be employed on future weather satellites.

The Naval Postgraduate School's PropCube 2 CubeSat is also slated for deployment from Cygnus in December to measure disturbances in the ionosphere, an upper layer of Earth's atmosphere.

The Cost-effective High E-Frequency Satellite, or CHEFSat, from the Naval Research Laboratory will help engineers gauge the performance of a consumer-grade radio frequency device in space.

The first satellite for Asgardia, an organization that aims to become the first nation state in space, was also launched Sunday. The group was created by Igor Ashurbeyli, a Russian scientist, and the Asgardia 1 satellite hosts a 500-gigabyte solid state drive containing files and data uploaded by the organization's supporters, or citizens.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 16 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929731777266180098)

Post-launch press conference for the #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) mission starting momentarily on NASA TV.

5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929734480516075522)

Kurt Eberly, Orbital ATK: compared to yesterday, today was very boring. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929734858800353280)

Eberly: shift to end of 5-minute window was for a technical reason, but also allowed time to ensure range was clear of boats and planes. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929735054993092610)

Eberly: targeted 190x290 km for Cygnus orbit, ended up at 200x330 km, about 1.5 sigma high. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929735180767592448)

Antares/OA8: Kurt Eberly, Antares program manager: "Overall performance was a little high, which is good ... Overall, it looked like a really good flight"

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929734122330869760)

Antares/OA8: Dep. ISS program manager Dan Hartman: "Beautiful morning, beautiful launch; ... it's just great to have that spacecraft headed toward the International Space Station ... We're anxious to get Cygnus aboard'

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929735457147162624)

Frank DeMauro, Orbital ATK: Cygnus performing well in orbit, solar arrays deployed "exactly as we liked". #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929735929878798337)

DeMauro: got a great note from the family of Gene Cernan after the launch (Cygnus is named the SS Gene Cernan) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929735432706850817)

Antares/OA8: Frank DeMauro, VP, advanced programs at Orbital ATK, says Cygnus cargo ship is healthy and operating normally; "the initial data all looks great"

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929736459460005896)

Antares/OA8: Hartman says "more stringent" notifications will be employed for next Antares launch to keep wayward boats/aircraft out of the launch danger zone

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929737031550488576)

NASA's Dan Hartman: considering more one-year crews for ISS, but only after commercial crew flights begin. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929738951757324290)

Eberly: with overperformance on this flight (and previous Antares last year) may be able to bank a little more margin; talk with Cygnus and NASA on how to best use it. #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/929739185396879371)

Antares/OA8: And that's a wrap! We'll be back Tuesday morning for Cygnus capture and launch of NOAA's Joint Polar Satellite System weathersat from Vandenberg AFB in California

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 36 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929735353300373504)

The S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) spacecraft is in great shape and everything is performing nominally #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

25 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929738249786085376)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is designed with 32 thrusters that will maneuver the spacecraft any way needed. A larger engine is used to raise Cygnus to orbit

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929751577761648640)

#OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) launch pictures are up! View them all on our @Flickr (https://twitter.com/Flickr) page here: http://bit.ly/2jj9jOP  (https://t.co/YsmiatBzLE) | Photo credit: Orbital ATK/Thom Baur
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170600.jpg)

ЦитироватьISS
16-17 ноября 2017 - запуск спутников ELaNa XXII: ASTERIA, Dellingr/RBLE, OSIRIS-3U, EcAMSat, TechEdSat-6 из NRCSD#13 

ЦитироватьNov. 12, 2017
RELEASE 17-087

NASA Space Station Cargo Launches Aboard Orbital ATK Mission

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207923.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/orbitalatk.jpg)
Orbital ATK's eighth contracted cargo delivery flight to the station successfully launched at 7:19 a.m. EST on an Antares rocket from Pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia Sunday.
Credits: NASA/ Bill Ingalls

The International Space Station (http://www.nasa.gov/station) will receive about 7,400 pounds of cargo, including new science and technology investigations, following the successful launch of Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia Sunday.

Спойлер

Orbital ATK's eighth contracted cargo delivery flight to the station launched at 7:19 a.m. EST on an Antares rocket from Pad 0A at Wallops, and is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station Tuesday, Nov. 14.

This is the fifth flight of an enhanced Cygnus spacecraft, and the second using Orbital ATK's upgraded Antares rocket. The spacecraft for this mission is named in honor of Gene Cernan (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Documents/SS_Gene%20Cernan_Bio.pdf), the last human to step foot on the Moon. Cernan, who passed away in January at age 82, set records for both lunar surface extravehicular activities and the longest time in lunar orbit.

Expedition 53 astronauts Paolo Nespoli of ESA (European Space Agency) and Randy Bresnik of NASA will use the space station's robotic arm to grapple Cygnus, about 4:50 a.m. Tuesday. Cygnus will remain at the space station until Dec. 4, when the spacecraft will depart the station and deploy several CubeSats before its fiery re-entry into Earth's atmosphere as it disposes of several tons of trash.

The resupply mission will support dozens of new and existing investigations as Expeditions 53 and 54 contribute to about 250 science and research studies.

Highlights from the new experiments will include studies on antibiotic resistance, high-speed data transmission, plant growth and improved power and communication technologies.

The E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) (https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/engineering/projects/ecamsat) mission will investigate the effect of microgravity on the antibiotic resistance of E. coli, a bacterial pathogen responsible for urinary tract infection in humans and animals. Antibiotic resistance could pose a danger to astronauts, especially since microgravity has been shown to weaken human immune response. The experiment will expose two strains of E. coli to three different doses of antibiotics; one of these strains is deficient in the gene responsible for the increased antibiotic resistance in microgravity. Results from this investigation could help determine appropriate antibiotic dosages to protect astronaut health during long-duration missions and help us understand how antibiotic effectiveness may be increased in microgravity, as well as on Earth.

The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/ocsd_project.html) project will study high-speed optical transmission of data and small spacecraft proximity operations. It will test functionality of laser-based communications using CubeSats that provide a compact version of the technology.

Results from OCSD could lead to significantly enhanced communication speeds between space and Earth and a better understanding of laser communication between small satellites in low-Earth orbit.

The Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis (Biological Nitrogen Fixation) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2717.html) investigation examines how low-gravity conditions affect the nitrogen fixation process of Microclover, a resilient and drought tolerant legume. The nitrogen fixation process, a process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into a usable form for living organisms, is a crucial element of any ecosystem necessary for most types of plant growth. This investigation could provide information on the space viability of the legume's ability to use and recycle nutrients and give researchers a better understanding of this plant's potential uses on Earth.

As space exploration increases, so will the need for improved power and communication technologies. The Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA) (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/isara.php), a hybrid solar power panel and communication solar antenna that can send and receive messages, tests the use of this technology in CubeSat-based environmental monitoring. ISARA may provide a solution for sending and receiving information to and from faraway destinations, both on Earth and in space.

For more than 17 years, humans have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth that will enable long-duration human and robotic exploration into deep space. A global endeavor, more than 200 people from 18 countries have visited the unique microgravity laboratory that has hosted more than 2,100 research investigations from researchers in more than 95 countries.

Learn more about Orbital ATK's mission at:

http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk (http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk%20)

Get breaking news, images and features from the station on Instagram and Twitter:

http://instagram.com/iss (http://instagram.com/iss)

and

http://www.twitter.com/Space_Station (http://www.twitter.com/Space_Station)

-end-

Tabatha Thompson
 Headquarters, Washington
 202-358-1100
tabatha.t.thompson@nasa.gov (mailto:tabatha.t.thompson@nasa.gov)

Gary Jordan
 Johnson Space Center, Houston
 281-483-5111
gary.j.jordan@nasa.gov (mailto:gary.j.jordan@nasa.gov)

[свернуть]

Last Updated: Nov. 12, 2017
Editor: Katherine Brown

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 19 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/929760905725923328)

The S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has successfully completed its first Delta-V (DV) burn. All systems are operating nominally #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

ЦитироватьPost-Launch Status of Orbital ATK's Mission to the International Space Station

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220647.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/NASAtelevision) NASA (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLA_DiR1FfKNvjuUpBHmylQ)

Опубликовано: 12 нояб. 2017 г.

On Nov. 12, Orbital ATK launched its Cygnus cargo spacecraft atop an Antares rocket to the International Space Station, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Following the launch mission managers provided a status update on the mission.

ЦитироватьNanoRacks Launches Full External Cygnus Deployer, New Customers, and more to Space Station on OA-8
November 11, 2017 //

With the launch of the OA-8 mission, NanoRacks has now brought over 600 payloads to space, and introduced numerous new customers to the commercial ISS marketplace.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/121458.png)

Wallops Island, VA, November 12, 2017 – Early this morning, the Orbital ATK CRS-8 (OA-8 ) launch carried another historic NanoRacks mission to the International Space Station (ISS). With a completely full NanoRacks External Cygnus Deployer (ENRCSD), a virtual reality camera, and educational research, this mission marks over 600 NanoRacks payloads delivered to the ISS since 2009.

Спойлер

This mission is enabling a unique virtual reality opportunity with National Geographic's VUZE camera (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2642.html). Integrated and launched via NanoRacks, VUZE will allow for the recording of the new National Geographic series "One Strange Rock," in which the astronaut crew will record a series of virtual reality pieces for incorporation into a larger documentary about natural history and the solar system. This is National Geographic's first time launching with NanoRacks.

NanoRacks is also pleased to have launched the "Microbes in Space" educational experiment. Microbes in Space is one of two experiments launching to the ISS via a partnership with NanoRacks, DreamUp (http://dreamup.org/), and Xtronaut (http://xtronautiss.com/) as a part of a Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/xtronautiss/228043082?ref=351357&token=87092bc3) campaign to build on-the-ground kits that will compare science at home and in the classroom to real science in space. The Kickstarter is now live, with kits beginning at just a $25 donation.

Additionally, OA-8 is the fourth mission in which NanoRacks is providing opportunities for CubeSat deployment from Cygnus after the vehicle departs from the station. The NanoRacks ENRCSD is installed on the exterior of the Cygnus service module with the capability to deploy satellites after Cygnus' completion of its primary ISS resupply mission.

On this ENRCSD mission, NanoRacks has 14 satellites ready to be deployed with customers including the NRO Office of Space Launch, Asgardia, Spire, Tyvak, NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), and the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. Included in this External Cygnus manifest are also The Aerospace Corporation's AeroCube B/C satellites, water-based propulsion CubeSats.

"OA-8 is yet another unique mission for NanoRacks," says Senior Mission Manager Henry Martin. "We're thrilled to have a full External Cygnus Deployer, displaying its maximum capability. This mission also brings new customers from outside the industry into space while continuing partnerships with existing customers like Spire for their ongoing satellite constellation. Notably, this mission will also deploy our first-ever propulsive satellite from the Cygnus spacecraft."

The ENRCSD satellites are scheduled to be deployed from the Cygnus vehicle early December at an altitude above the ISS orbit, pending all nominal spacecraft operations.

The External Cygnus Deployer includes in the following satellites:
 

[/li]
• ISARA
• PROPCUBE
• Lemur-2 (8 CubeSats)
• Aerocube B/C (2 CubeSats)
• Asgardia-1
• CHEFSat
  

ISARA and Aerocube B/C are funded through NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology Program (SSTP), which is chartered to develop and mature technologies to enhance and expand the capabilities of small spacecraft with a particular focus on communications, propulsion, pointing, power, and autonomous operations.

Also on board the OA-8 mission are two CubeSats that will be deployed via the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer onboard the ISS. The satellites, EcAMSat and TechEdSat-6 each come from NASA Ames Research Center.

EcAMSat (https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/engineering/projects/ecamsat) is a biological CubeSat that will investigate the effects of microgravity on the antibiotic resistance of E. coli, a bacterial pathogen responsible for urinary tract infections. The EcAMSat flight opportunity is offered by NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) as part of the thirteenth installment of the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) mission, and sponsored by the NASA Launch Services Program (LSP).

By the time the OA-8 External Cygnus mission is complete, NanoRacks will have deployed over 200 satellites into low-Earth orbit.

NanoRacks would like to thank Orbital ATK and the NASA International Space Station Program for their continued support of NanoRacks operations on the ISS.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьPhotos: Antares Blasts off from Virginia on Space Station Cargo Run
November 12, 2017 (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/photos-antares-blasts-off-from-virginia-on-space-station-cargo-run/)

Orbital ATK successfully launched an Antares 230 rocket from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport located on NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Sunday, November 12, 2017. The second Antares 230 sporting new engines lifted off at 12:19:55 UTC and operated for nine minutes to send the eighth operational Cygnus cargo spacecraft – named in honor of the late Moonwalker Gene Cernan – into a Low Earth Orbit for a rendezvous with the International Space Station.

>> Read our Launch Recap (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/antares-launches-cygnus-oa8-cargo-spacecraft/)

All Photos below: NASA

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152142.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152142.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152129.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152129.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152128.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152128.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152133.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/26586726909_19d793a6a7_o.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152139.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/37649460484_3dc8b55943_o.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152143.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/38332000172_68c709d43e_o.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152148.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/38362028791_363def73d8_o.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152144.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/38332007302_cc4875c5bf_o.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152138.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/37648937724_63c4f5df7b_o.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152145.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152145.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152146.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152146.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152125.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/24486640818_4e536f6e25_o.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152147.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152147.jpg)

[свернуть]

All Photos below: Orbital ATK

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152153.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152153.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152150.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152150.jpg)
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(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152152.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152152.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152126.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152126.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152151.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152151.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152127.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152127.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152149.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152149.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152155.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152155.jpg)

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьАмериканцы нашли применение созданной на Украине ракете
Ракета Antares, созданная в Украине, в воскресенье взлетела с космодрома в США. Она доставит грузовик Cygnus с пиццей для астронавтов на Международную космическую станцию.
Украинская ракета взлетела со Среднеатлантического регионального космодрома на острове Уоллтс (штат Вирджиния, США) в 14:14 по Киеву. Выведенный на околоземную орбиту грузовик Cygnus, доставит на МКС около 3 тонн полезного груза, запасы пищи, научного оборудования, а также проведет утилизацию отходов.
Основная конструкция первой ступени Antares спроектирована украинским "КБ "Южное", изготовлена на "Южмаше".
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Orbital ATK Successfully Launches Eighth Cargo Delivery Mission to the International Space Station

Antares Rocket Boosts Approximately 7,400 Pounds, Its Heaviest Load to Date

Cygnus to Host Science Experiments While Docked With Station

Dulles, Virginia 12 November 2017 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, successfully launched its AntaresTM rocket carrying a CygnusTM spacecraft today at 7:19 a.m. EST, fr om NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch is Orbital ATK's eighth cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station for NASA. During the mission, designated OA-8, Cygnus will deliver vital equipment, supplies and experiments to the astronauts aboard the space station, as well as conduct scientific experiments onboard Cygnus while docked with the orbiting laboratory.

Спойлер

The Antares rocket launched the Cygnus spacecraft loaded with approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of cargo to the crew of six who are aboard the space station. Following an approximate nine-minute ascent, the "S.S. Gene Cernan" Cygnus spacecraft, named in honor of the late astronaut and the last man to leave the moon, was successfully deployed into orbit. Orbital ATK's engineering team confirmed reliable communications have been established and the vehicle's solar arrays are fully deployed, providing the necessary electrical power to operate the spacecraft.

"While the Antares team celebrates a successful launch today, we're already well into building the vehicles for the next two missions," said Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK's Flight Systems Group. "We will be ready to launch again whenever Cygnus needs us."

Cygnus will be grappled at approximately 4:50 a.m. EST on November 14. The spacecraft will remain attached to the space station for approximately three weeks before departing with more than 4,000 pounds (approximately 2,000 kilograms) of disposable cargo. Cygnus' large-volume disposal capability, a critical service to NASA, is unique among America's commercial cargo providers.

"Today's successful launch of the OA-8 Cygnus on our Antares launch vehicle once again demonstrates the reliability of Orbital ATK's hardware along with our commitment to deliver critical cargo to astronauts on the International Space Station," said Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group. "Soon, Cygnus will rendezvous with the space station to deliver valuable scientific experiments, hardware and crew supplies to the orbiting platform. On this mission, Cygnus will again display its flexibility as an in-orbit science platform by supporting experiments to be performed inside the cargo module while attached to the space station. We are proud to dedicate this mission to Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan and his family and look forward to celebrating the OA-8 contributions to science in his name."

Upon arrival at the space station, the "S.S. Gene Cernan" Cygnus will be unloaded and used for the first time as an extension of the orbiting laboratory for an experiment featuring a SpaceTango facility. TangoLab is a reconfigurable general research facility designed for microgravity research and development. This exercise will highlight the ability to expand the station's capabilities for hosting experiments using the Cygnus module. During the three weeks Cygnus remains docked, the astronauts on the space station will perform the transfer of the lab to Cygnus and then back to the station wh ere it will remain. Once Cygnus is unberthed, a NanoRacks deployer will release 14 Cubesats, a record number for the spacecraft. Upon completion of its secondary missions, Cygnus will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Under the CRS-1 contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of cargo to the space station. Beginning in 2019, the company will carry out a minimum of six cargo missions under NASA's CRS-2 contract. This 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 Antares rocket systems are manufactured and engineered by Orbital ATK's Flight Systems Group primarily in Chandler, Arizona, and Dulles, Virginia, with rocket integration taking place at NASA's Horizontal Integration Facility at Wallops Island, Virginia. The vehicle includes two RD-181 engines from Energomash, a core from Yuzhmash and a CASTOR® 30XL solid rocket motor second stage manufactured at Orbital ATK's facilities in Clearfield and Magna, Utah.

The Cygnus system consists of a common service module and pressurized cargo module. The service module was built and tested at Orbital ATK's manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia. Orbital ATK manufactures several other Cygnus components at three of the company's facilities in California: UltraFlexTM solar arrays in Goleta, composite structures in San Diego and propellant tanks in Commerce.

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.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьSolar Array Deployment - LIVE Orbital ATK Antares Rocket Cygnus OA-8 ISS Resupply Ship Launch

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220670.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq_IqBLBT2IQm-GjWIfAerQ) Julian Danzer (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq_IqBLBT2IQm-GjWIfAerQ)

Опубликовано: 12 нояб. 2017 г.

ЦитироватьMission Update

Orbital ATK successfully launched its OA-8 mission aboard the company's Antares rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on November 12, 2017 at 7:19 a.m. EST. Cygnus rendesvous is scheduled for early morning Tuesday, November 14, with grapple at approximately 4:50 a.m. EST. The spacecraft will deliver vital supplies and scientific equipment to the station as part of Orbital ATK's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA.

ЦитироватьУспешный пуск РН «Антарес»
С космодрома Уоллопс (США) стартовала ракета-носитель Antares с грузовым космическим кораблем Cygnus, который должен доставить на Международную космическую станцию более 3 тонн груза.
Успешный пуск обеспечил двигатель РД-181 разработки и производства АО «НПО Энергомаш».Контракт на поставку американской компании Orbital ATK двигателей РД-181 был заключен в декабре 2014 года.

ЦитироватьMark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted on November 13, 2017

Cygnus Races To Station as Crew Studies Life Science and Space Crops

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131324.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/21pfMTA)
The Cygnus resupply ship launches aboard the Antares rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

The Cygnus resupply ship from Orbital ATK is less than 24 hours away from a rendezvous and capture at the International Space Station. Meanwhile, the Expedition 53 crew members are conducting human research and exploring growing crops in space.

Cygnus is in Earth orbit today conducting a series of orbital maneuvers refining its path to the space station Tuesday morning. Astronauts Paolo Nespoli and Randy Bresnik will be in the cupola early tomorrow waiting to capture Cygnus with the Canadarm2 at 4:50 a.m. EST. NASA TV will broadcast the capture and installation of Cygnus to the Unity module beginning at 3:15 a.m.
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ЦитироватьNov. 13, 2017

NASA CubeSat Missions: Pushing the Boundaries of Technology

NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology Program is on the countdown clock to advance communications and proximity maneuvering capabilities for CubeSats with two separate technology demonstration missions.

Спойлер

The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) mission will showcase the first-ever high-speed data downlink fr om a CubeSat to a ground station using lasers, in addition to maneuvering the pair of diminutive spacecraft to up-close proximity.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208407.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/isara.jpg)
Credits: Nanoracks

Also set for demonstration is the Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA) mission. A reflectarray is a relatively new type of antenna fabricated from standard printed circuit boards with an array of square copper patches etched on them.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208405.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/isara2.jpg)
ISARA's three antenna panels feature a printed circuit board pattern that narrowly focuses the CubeSat's radio transmission beam in much the same way a parabolic dish reflector does.
Credits: Nanoracks

These innovative satellites were carried onboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus advanced maneuvering spacecraft, a commercial resupply vehicle that will berth to the International Space Station (ISS). Atop the Orbital ATK's Antares booster, the Cygnus commercial resupply mission launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Nov.12.

Once the Cygnus craft has completed its ISS servicing mission, it will detach from the ISS and move to a higher orbit. From there, the OCSD and ISARA CubeSats will be deployed to begin their respective missions.

The Small Spacecraft Technology Program expands U.S. capability to execute unique missions through rapid development and in-space demonstration of capabilities for small spacecraft applicable to exploration, science, and the commer¬cial space sector. The program enables new mission architectures through the use of small spacecraft, with goals of expanding their reach to new destinations and challenging new environments.

Precision pointing
"Our primary mission for OCSD is demonstrating laser communications, by using a laser on the spacecraft to downlink data to our optical ground stations on Mt. Wilson in California. The laser communication data rates are orders of magnitude higher than what we can do in radio frequency," explains Richard Welle, one of the principal investigators for OCSD at The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California, that manages the project.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208387.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/img_1515.jpg)
The OCSD communication face of the satellite shows the major communication systems such as those of the laser transmitter and emitter, radio frequency antenna, and other sensors.
Credits: Nanoracks

"Laser communication offers data rates competitive with current high-end CubeSat communications systems, in a compact package, and with the potential to go to much higher rates yet," Welle notes. With each spacecraft carrying ultra-small star trackers, critical for precision pointing of the laser communications hardware, the laser is hard-mounted to the individual CubeSat body with the beam pointed by controlling the orientation of the entire spacecraft.

"Building a laser that would work in this environment meant solving a number of technical challenges," Welle advises. But having solved those challenges, he continues, the result was having a laser system much more compact than anything previously flown in space.

Applications for high data rate communications include providing download capability for data-intensive missions in low-Earth orbit such as those engaged in Earth imaging.

Close cousins
Following laser communication testing, another OCSD objective is proximity operations wh ere the two CubeSats will fly relatively close together in Earth orbit. To do so, the satellites use a combination of variable drag and bursts of propulsion from the spacecraft – using water exhausted as steam – to bring the two within 650 feet (200 meters) of one another.

Both CubeSats have miniature cameras, laser rangefinders, and are dotted by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to aide in a step-wise reduction of distance between them, Welle explains. "The plan is to essentially have one of the satellites orbit the other at smaller and smaller distances," Welle adds.

Each OCSD CubeSat is about 4 inches x 4 inches x 6.7 inches (10 centimeters x 10 centimeters x 17 centimeters) and weighs approximately 5 pounds (2.5 kilograms).

As for the benefit of CubeSats, Welle is confident on what's already been learned in the OCSD project. "The technology development aspect of this mission is proving worthwhile for follow-on missions. Also, the commercial sector is very interested in the technologies that come out of this work," he concludes.

Capabilities in proximity operations will enable multiple small spacecraft to operate cooperatively during science or exploration missions, to approach another spacecraft or object for in-space observation or servicing, or to connect small spacecraft together to form larger systems or networks in space.

Data-downlink
The technology benefit of the ISARA mission is to enhance CubeSats with a blend of antenna and solar cells, to allow for higher data-downlink communications. ISARA will use radio frequency Ka-band – the first time Ka-band uses a reflectarray antenna– that will surpass the existing baseline CubeSat transmission rate of 9.6 kilobits per second to more than 100 megabits per second.

"We have a lot of mission firsts with ISARA," says Richard Hodges, principal investigator of this CubeSat mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. As a devoted "antenna guy" with decades of experience, he sees a bright future for the integrated solar array and reflectarray antenna that was perfected by JPL technologists.

"This is a flat antenna style, effectively replacing an antenna such as the curved surface parabolic style. Thanks to a photolithographic etching process, the reflectarray is relatively inexpensive to produce and they are lightweight. Furthermore, this type of antenna makes very efficient use of CubeSat volume. And that means lots of added room for payloads, such as science instruments or imaging systems," Hodges observes.

To the best of his knowledge, ISARA will be the first in-space demonstration of a reflectarray antenna as well as that of an integrated antenna and solar array. "As far as we know, no reflectarray has ever flown in space. It has been discussed over the years, but now we're going to demonstrate it does work in the space environment," says Hodges.

Sweet spot sendoff
Distinct from a parabolic dish antenna, the flat reflectarray panels are folded down flush against the CubeSat. Once the three antenna panels are deployed – electrically tied together through hinges – they narrowly focus the CubeSat's radio transmission beam to a "sweet spot" in much the same way a parabolic dish reflector would, Hodges explains. "ISARA's solar array and reflectarray antenna is a very attractive package that enables high-speed data rates of more than 100 megabits per second. That's our primary goal for this mission."

Signals from the reflectarray antenna are to be transmitted to a ground station located at NASA's JPL. Experts there will reconstruct the antenna signal pattern, contrasting that pattern against pre-launch ground tests to appraise overall quality of ISARA's downlink transmission over months of mission duration.

The ISARA mission is being carried out in partnership with The Aerospace Corporation (Aerospace). Aerospace built the CubeSat and also supports a ground station network that's spread out across the United States that can be used to support the CubeSat demonstration flight.

Stowage efficiency
Hodges highlights other ISARA flight firsts, including antenna gain measurement actually done in space. "There's quite a significant list of technology advancements, like use of off-the-shelf camera sensors for weather and environmental monitoring," he says.

Indeed, due to efficiencies in the ISARA design that provide extra stowage volume, along with spacecraft power provided by ISARA technology, a secondary payload known as the CubeSat Multispectral Observation System (CUMULOS) is onboard - an experimental remote sensing payload from Aerospace.

"We're very excited about what ISARA can enable, both in science data transmitted down from Earth orbit, and for deep space exploration missions too," Hodges forecasts.

Infusion into the future
The path forward for CubeSats is underscored by Elwood Agasid, deputy program manager of the Small Spacecraft Technology Program at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California.

"These two missions are pushing technology forward, for infusion in future missions. Getting data down to the ground from space is always essential. Laser communication and improvements in CubeSat radio frequency communication will be key components of that future. Similarly, flying smallsat constellations are important as well," says Agasid, as is new antenna technology.

ISARA and OCSD reflect how essential small satellites have become. "The short period of development time, the frequency of flight opportunities, and the ability to fly hardware in space to see how it performs in a relevant environment – these small satellites give us a low-cost avenue for in-space validation, verification and improvement of technology in an incremental fashion," Agasid concludes.

[свернуть]

Last Updated: Nov. 13, 2017
Editor: Loura Hall

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 17 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930229984869998592)

ARTICLE: OA-8 Cygnus closing in on the ISS for berthing - https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/oa-8-cygnus-iss-berthing/ ... (https://t.co/Lv5yS6ySWc) (@kogavfx (https://twitter.com/kogavfx) L2 Render of OA-8 Cygnus approaching the ISS)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170688.jpg)

Цитировать

OA-8 Cygnus closing in on the ISS for berthing (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/oa-8-cygnus-iss-berthing/)

November 13, 2017 by Chris Gebhardt, William Graham and Chris Bergin

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/930204625193627648)

S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) continues to operate nominally as it makes its way to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station). Live coverage of rendezvous & berthing begins at 3:15 am EST

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/930348977253441536)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is 1.5 Kilometers from the Space Station, having just completed its Approach Initiation burn that transitions the craft to a point directly below ISS

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The S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is now 500m behind @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) and 1km below. Tune in to NASA TV now to watch coverage live http://nasa.gov/live  (https://t.co/4xdZTYRKfI) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

Цитировать11/14/2017 11:26

Two days after blasting off from Virginia's Eastern Shore, Orbital ATK's Cygnus supply ship is nearing its destination Tuesday. The automated spacecraft packed with 3.7 tons of supplies and experiments is scheduled for capture by the International Space Station's robotic arm at 4:50 a.m. EST (0950 GMT).

European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli will be at the controls of the Canadian-built robotic arm during today's capture.

The Cygnus spaceship is closing in on the space station from below, currently at a range of about 1,853 feet, or 565 meters.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930349985761198080)

Cygnus still expected to arrive at the ISS three minutes after the Delta II launches. Tally Ho (tiny dot).

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170707.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 49 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930351794261315585)

No longer just a dot. Now you can clearly see Cygnus.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170708.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 23 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930355327056384000)

Cygnus passing directly over Melbourne, Australia.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170711.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/930356174356189184)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has arrived at the 250-meter hold point and is now transitioning from relative GPS to its Proximity Navigation System.

Цитировать11/14/2017 11:56

The Cygnus spacecraft is currently holding around 250 meters, or 820 feet, beneath the International Space Station. This pause allows mission controllers to evaluate the status of all key systems on both vehicles before clearing Cygnus to approach inside the "keep out sphere," an imaginary bubble stretching 200 meters, or 656 feet, fr om the complex on all sides.

Спойлер

The last major course correction burn, known as ADV3, was completed around an hour ago to put Cygnus on track to arrive directly below the space station.

The Cygnus spacecraft is making its automated approach aided by GPS navigation and laser instruments designed to determine the range and closing rate between the cargo ship and the huge 450-ton space station.

The Cygnus first relied on comparing GPS navigation data from its on-board computer and the space station. The two spacecraft established a radio link early Tuesday through a proximity communications system provided by the Japanese space agency.

After arriving at a hold point about 820 feet directly below the space station, Cygnus switched to a TriDAR sensor, which uses triangulation and fires light pulses and measures their reflections from the space station to measure the range and closing rate between the two vehicles.

The laser-guided visual navigation system feeds data into the Cygnus guidance computer, telling the spacecraft when and wh ere to fire its rocket jets to maneuver the unmanned freighter to a point 30 feet below the space station.

Once Cygnus arrives at a hold point just below the complex around 4:43 a.m. EST (0943 GMT), astronauts Paolo Nespoli and Randy Bresnik will take control of the lab's robot arm to reach out and grapple the free-floating Cygnus spacecraft at 4:50 a.m. EST (0950 GMT).

The robot arm will maneuver the Cygnus spacecraft onto the Unity module's Earth-facing berthing port about two hours later.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 мин назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/930362677247053825)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has left the 250 meter hold point and is resuming its approach to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)

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#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is currently 150 meters below @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) and closing #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

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#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is 80 meters below @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) and we are continuing to the 30 meter hold point

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#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has reached the 50 meter mark and is proceeding to the 30 meter hold point #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170726.jpg)

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We are closing in to the 30 meter holding point at .04 meters/second #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170727.jpg)

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We are now aiming for a 5:00 a.m. EST capture time. Capture window will remain open until 5:48 a.m. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

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We are confirmed at the 30 meter holding point and @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) crew is preparing for capture of S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash)

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#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has resumed its final approach. We are GO to begin moving into capture position #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/930372977706852355)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has arrived at the Capture Point after a smooth rendezvous. The crew will now re-position cameras and take brakes off the arm. Final Mission Control Polls also coming up. http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/live-mission-coverage/ ... (https://t.co/XAitS1kBdX)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DOlZPO8WAAE7a1a.jpg)

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We are GO for capture of S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash)! @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170737.jpg)

Цитировать11/14/2017 13:02

The robotic arm is in motion to capture Cygnus.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 2 мин назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/930375983143772160)

CAPTURE! The S.S. Gene Cernan has arrived at the International Space Station with over three metric tons of supplies, hardware and science gear. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/live-mission-coverage/ ... (https://t.co/XAitS1kBdX)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DOlcAadWAAAkFpr.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185296.jpg) ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 (https://twitter.com/ISS101) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ISS101/status/930376275579035648)

.@astro_paolo (https://twitter.com/astro_paolo) & @AstroKomrade (https://twitter.com/AstroKomrade) will safe the arm and then hand off to ROBO controllers on the ground for berthing of the #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) spacecraft over the coming hours.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/930375936540897280)

Antares/OA8: And CAPTURE! At 5:04am EST; Cygnus has been snared by the space station's robot arm after a smooth two-day rendezvous

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/930376584627937280)

Antares/OA8: Good latching confirmed; flight controllers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston will take over arm operations from Paolo Nespoli shortly, pulling the Cygnus in for berthing at the Earth-facing port of the central Unity module

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 15 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930375841753821184)

CAPTURE! OA-8 Cygnus has been captured by the SSRMS.

ARTICLE: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/oa-8-cygnus-iss-berthing/ ... (https://t.co/Lv5yS6ySWc)

COVERAGE: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=44220.0 ... (https://t.co/huPkdsr4Ql)
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Цитировать

OA-8 Cygnus arrives at the ISS (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/oa-8-cygnus-iss-berthing/)

November 13, 2017 by Chris Gebhardt, William Graham and Chris Bergin

ЦитироватьMark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted on November 14, 2017

Robotic Arm Reaches Out and Grapples Cygnus

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131328.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131328.jpg)
The Canadarm2 robotic arm is seen grappling the Orbital ATK Cygnus resupply ship on Nov. 14, 2017. Credit: NASA TV

At 5:04 a.m., Expedition 53 Flight Engineers Paolo Nespoli of ESA (European Space Agency) and Randy Bresnik of NASA successfully captured Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft using the International Space Station's robotic arm. Robotic ground controllers will position Cygnus for installation to the orbiting laboratory's Earth-facing port of the Unity module.

NASA Television coverage of installation will begin at 6:15 a.m., and installation of the Cygnus spacecraft to the space station is expected to be completed later this morning.

Learn more about the Orbital ATK CRS-8 mission by going to the mission home page at: http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk. Join the conversation on Twitter by following @Space_Station.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 11 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930399289255317506)

Aligning to the port. Ready To Latch (RTL) indication is the goal here. Then they will go through two stages of capture.
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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930399891712544768)

There's the port.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170730.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930402638658785280)

Right, a bit, please.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170698.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 44 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930405385181323264)

Should be at RTL now. Waiting for First Stage Capture to be initiated.
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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 58 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/930409626369249281)

All 16 bolts have been successfully driven and #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) installation to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) is complete!

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/930409375864446976)

Cygnus OA-8 RTL. First and Second Stage Capture (16 bolts). Arrival and berthing COMPLETE! Smoothly done, teams! (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125484.png)

ARTICLE: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/oa-8-cygnus-iss-berthing/ ... (https://t.co/Lv5yS6ySWc)

COVERAGE: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=44220.0 ... (https://t.co/huPkdsr4Ql)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170702.jpg)

Спойлер

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Цитировать

OA-8 Cygnus arrives and berths at the ISS (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/oa-8-cygnus-iss-berthing/)

November 13, 2017 by Chris Gebhardt, William Graham and Chris Bergin

ЦитироватьMark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted on November 14, 2017

Cygnus Installed on Station With New Science Experiments

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131327.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131327.jpg)
Nov. 14, 2017: International Space Station Configuration. Five spaceships are parked at the space station including the Orbital ATK Cygnus, the Progress 67 and 68 resupply ships and the Soyuz MS-05 and MS-06 crew ships.

The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship was bolted into place on the International Space Station's Earth-facing port of the Unity module at 7:15 a.m. EST. The spacecraft will spend about three weeks attached to the space station before departing in early December. After it leaves the station, the uncrewed spacecraft will deploy several CubeSats before its fiery re-entry into Earth's atmosphere as it disposes of several tons of trash.

Спойлер

The spacecraft's arrival brings close to 7,400 pounds of research and supplies to support Expedition 53 and 54. Highlights include:

[/li]
• The  coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) (https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/engineering/projects/ecamsat) mission, which will investigate the effect of microgravity on the antibiotic resistance of E. coli, a bacterial pathogen responsible for urinary tract infection in humans and animals. Antibiotic resistance could pose a danger to astronauts, especially since microgravity has been shown to weaken human immune response. The experiment will expose two strains of E. coli to three different doses of antibiotics; one of these strains is deficient in the gene responsible for the increased antibiotic resistance in microgravity. Results from this investigation could help determine appropriate antibiotic dosages to protect astronaut health during long-duration missions and help us understand how antibiotic effectiveness may be increased in microgravity, as well as on Earth.
• The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/ocsd_project.html) project, which will study high-speed optical transmission of data and small spacecraft proximity operations. It will test functionality of laser-based communications using CubeSats that provide a compact version of the technology. Results from OCSD could lead to significantly enhanced communication speeds between space and Earth and a better understanding of laser communication between small satellites in low-Earth orbit.
• The Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis (Biological Nitrogen Fixation) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2717.html) investigation, which will examine how low-gravity conditions affect the nitrogen fixation process of Microclover, a resilient and drought tolerant legume. The nitrogen fixation process, a process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into a usable form for living organisms, is a crucial element of any ecosystem necessary for most types of plant growth. This investigation could provide information on the space viability of the legume's ability to use and recycle nutrients and give researchers a better understanding of this plant's potential uses on Earth.
• The Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA) (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/isara.php), a hybrid solar power panel and communication solar antenna that can send and receive messages, will test the use of this technology in CubeSat-based environmental monitoring. ISARA may provide a solution for sending and receiving information to and from faraway destinations, both on Earth and in space.
  

Learn more about the Orbital ATK CRS-8 mission by going to the mission home page at: http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk. Join the conversation on Twitter by following @Space_Station.

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ЦитироватьCygnus OA-8 Arrival at International Space Station

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220764.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceVidsNet) Space Videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5d0UwSJJunRcRVzP1uDg)

Трансляция началась 5 часов назад

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg) Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 11 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/930420419252940802)

First photo of the deployed solar arrays from the camera on board the S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash).... https://www.instagram.com/p/BbegFJgFXJj/  (https://t.co/wDNpDVmt64)

ЦитироватьMission Update

November 14, 2017

The S.S. Gene Cernan Cygnus spacecraft successfully completed its rendezvous and berthing maneuvers with the International Space Station at 7:15 a.m. EST on November 14. Cygnus arrived at the station with approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of cargo, supplies and scientific experiments. Cygnus will remain docked at the station for approximately three weeks before departing on secondary missions. During its stay at the orbiting laboratory, after demonstrating its versatility as an in-orbit science platform, the spacecraft will be used as an extension of the space station by hosting experiments that will be conducted inside the Cygnus cargo module while attached to the space station. Cygnus will be unberthed and when a safe distance from the station, a NanoRacks deployer will release 14 Cubesats, a record number for the spacecraft. Upon completion of these secondary missions, Cygnus will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

(https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Images/Capture15.JPG)
Screen shot from NASA TV's coverage of the Cygnus grapple and berthing

Цитировать

Orbital ATK's Cygnus Successfully Completes Rendezvous and Berthing with International Space Station

"S.S. Gene Cernan" Delivers Approximately 7,400 Pounds of Cargo and Scientific Experiments

Cygnus Spacecraft to Highlight Advanced Capabilities as In-Orbit Science Platform

Dulles, Virginia 14 November 2017 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, today announced that the "S.S. Gene Cernan" CygnusTM spacecraft successfully completed its rendezvous and berthing maneuvers with the International Space Station earlier this morning. This marks the company's eighth successful berthing with the orbiting laboratory.

Спойлер

Cygnus launched into orbit aboard an Orbital ATK Antares™ rocket at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on November 12. The spacecraft then executed a series of thruster burns over the next couple of days to raise its orbit and reach the space station. Once Cygnus was in close range, crew members grappled the spacecraft with the station's robotic arm at 5:04 a.m. (EST). Cygnus was then guided to its berthing port on the nadir side of the station's Unity module and officially installed to the space station at 7:15 a.m. (EST).

"Today's flawless rendezvous and arrival at the International Space Station signals the start of a busy month for Cygnus as the spacecraft once again demonstrates its capability beyond cargo delivery and removal," said Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group. "On this mission, the 'S.S. Gene Cernan' Cygnus will act as an extension of the space station for the first time by supporting science experiments inside the cargo module while docked to the laboratory. Cygnus will then begin its secondary mission to deploy a record number of cubesats that will further demonstrate the spacecraft's versatility and flexibility for our customers."

Cygnus arrived at the station with approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of cargo, supplies and scientific experiments. The crew is now scheduled to open Cygnus' hatch and make initial ingress into the cargo module to begin unloading the pressurized cargo. Cygnus will remain docked at the station for approximately three weeks before departing on secondary missions.

During its stay at the orbiting laboratory, after demonstrating its versatility as an in-orbit science platform, the spacecraft will be used as an extension of the space station by hosting experiments that will be conducted inside the Cygnus cargo module while attached to the space station. Cygnus will be unberthed and when a safe distance from the station, a NanoRacks deployer will release 14 Cubesats, a record number for the spacecraft. Upon completion of these secondary missions, Cygnus will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Under the CRS-1 contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of cargo to the International Space Station. Beginning in 2019, Orbital ATK will carry out a minimum of six initial cargo missions under NASA's follow-on CRS-2 contract. This 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.

In keeping with Orbital ATK's practice, the OA-8 spacecraft is named in honor of the late space flight pioneer and Apollo 17 Astronaut Capt. Gene Cernan. A veteran of one Gemini and two Apollo missions, Gene Cernan set records for both lunar surface extravehicular activities and longest time in lunar orbit paving the way for the future of human space exploration.
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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185959.jpg) Randy Bresnik‏Подлинная учетная запись @AstroKomrade (https://twitter.com/AstroKomrade) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/AstroKomrade/status/930430764772089857)

Solar arrays glow beautifully at sunrise as the @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) cargo vehicle approaches @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) with tons of #science (https://twitter.com/hashtag/science?src=hash) and supplies.
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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185959.jpg) Randy Bresnik‏Подлинная учетная запись @AstroKomrade (https://twitter.com/AstroKomrade) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/AstroKomrade/status/930435426761842688)

.@Astro_Paolo (https://twitter.com/astro_paolo) flies the robotic arm like a rock star and grapples the newest member of @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) Expedition 53 – S.S. Gene Cernan #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #OA8 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA8?src=hash)!
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ЦитироватьCygnus Cargo Spacecraft Installed on ISS for Critical Supplies Delivery
November 14, 2017 (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-cargo-spacecraft-installed-on-iss-for-critical-supplies-delivery/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152105.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DOmRnZIW4AIfdHp.jpg)
Photo: NASA

The Cygnus S.S. Gene Cernan arrived at the International Space Station on Tuesday for a robotic capture and berthing to become a temporary part of the orbiting laboratory for the delivery of over three metric tons of supplies, maintenance gear and research. Cygnus enjoyed a particularly smooth flight after Sunday's liftoff from Virginia's Eastern Shore, arriving at the Station's doorstep for a straight-up approach to the capture position to mark the start of a three-week stay at ISS highlighted by cargo transfers and a planned end-of-mission test to collect data for future Commercial Crew missions.

Спойлер

Cygnus took flight at 12:19:55 UTC on Sunday when its Antares launch vehicle lifted off from Pad 0A at the Wallops Flight Facility. Flying in its upgraded configuration for the second time, Antares fired its twin RD-181 engines for three and a half minutes, shed its payload fairing during a brief passive flight phase and burned its solid-fueled second stage for two minutes and 40 seconds to send Cygnus into orbit. Performance by the upgraded launch vehicle again surpassed the intentionally conservative simulations and placed Cygnus into a slightly higher orbit than planned.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152141.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/sites/192/2017/11/38331857892_efef31c80a_o.jpg)
Photo: NASA

The 6,200-Kilogram Cygnus spacecraft started out in an orbit of 300 by 331 Kilometers at the expected inclination of 51.63 degrees. Solar array deployment occurred after the vehicle made its first lap around the planet and Mission Controllers in Dulles, Virginia were able to give Cygnus a clean bill of health after initial checkouts in orbit. Within a few hours of launch, Cygnus completed its first large orbit-raising maneuver with its BT-4 main engine, lifting the apogee to 360 Kilometers.

More burns were performed on Sunday and Monday as Cygnus approached the Space Station from behind and below for initiation of the rendezvous when Cygnus was in an orbit four Kilometers below the Space Station's 401 x 408-Kilometer orbit. When reaching a range of 28 Kilometers, Cygnus entered the relative navigation phase of the rendezvous, beginning to receive GPS data from the Space Station through a space-to-space communications link in order to compare it against its own GPS readings to obtain a more precise relative position fix.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152107.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/oa8-RNDZ-2.jpg)
Photo: NASA TV

Joint operations between Dulles and NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston began before Cygnus was given clearance for its first Approach Delta-V Burn and a coelliptic maneuver that positioned the craft 1.5 Kilometers below ISS. Next was the Approach Initiation Maneuver that put the spacecraft on a path to intercept the Station's R-Bar to arrive at a position around 350 meters straight below ISS.

Aboard the Station, ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli served as the robotics operator on Tuesday while Expedition 53 commander Randy Bresnik handled communications with the ground and commanding of Cygnus through the Hardware Command Panel. At a range of 250 meters, Cygnus hit the brakes to enter a planned hold dedicated to the transition from Relative GPS navigation to the craft's Proximity Navigation System featuring a laser-based 3D sensor that captures 3D data of the target vehicle that is then compared with a computer model of the known shape of the target to deliver relative position, range and range rate measurements to guide the spacecraft to an on-target arrival.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152104.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DOmRmEKWAAE8J1O.jpg)
Paolo Nespoli's Reflection in one of the Robotics Workstation displays as Capture was about to begin – Photo: NASA

The 250-meter hold was extended slightly, causing the rendezvous to drift around ten minutes behind schedule before the spacecraft was commanded into Approach Mode to advance to 30 meters. While Cygnus again held position, teams on the ground configured the spacecraft for final approach and the crew in orbit went through their procedure review before providing clearance for final approach. Gently firing its thrusters, Cygnus slowly covered the final 18 meters to the capture position, taking around 15 minutes.

Arriving within reach of Canadarm2, Cygnus automatically reduced relative rates to hold perfectly still while the crew reconfigured cameras and took the brakes off the robotic arm in preparation for capture. Mission Control provided a GO and Paolo Nespoli began driving the arm into position over the grappling pin of the craft's Power & Video Grapple Fixture with Cygnus moving into Free Drift just before capture. A good capture was confirmed at 10:04 UTC followed by engaging latches within the arm's Latching End Effector to form a power and video bridge to Cygnus.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152106.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DOmRqoiWAAAdrpb.jpg)
Photo: NASA

The crew then handed robotics off to controllers on the ground for the berthing operation which has become close to routine by this point. Moving swiftly through their procedures, ROBO controllers maneuvered Cygnus into its pre-berthing position on the Earth-facing Common Berthing Mechanism of the Unity Module. With the help of the Centerline Berthing Camera System, Cygnus was positioned with millimeter accuracy before capture latches were closed to establish first stage capture.

Four sets of four bolts were then driven to firmly pull Cygnus in and form a pressure seal between the Unity module and the spacecraft with second stage capture marked at 12:15 UTC. After final bolt-loading, the crew will be cleared to press into leak checks and outfitting of the vestibule between the two spacecraft before Cygnus can be opened for business with plenty of cargo transfers ahead for the four U.S. Segment crew members over the course of the next three weeks.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152109.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/oa8-RNDZ-7.jpg)
Photo: NASA TV

Cygnus OA-8 is the fifth U.S. resupply craft reaching ISS this year, coming after the OA-7 mission that launched on Atlas V and three science-heavy Dragon missions. In contrast to recent Dragons, cargo on the Cygnus is primarily comprised of supplies and systems hardware to ensure ISS can remain in a comfortable consumables situation. With the OA-8 cargo on board, ISS is looking good for supplies until June 2018 with food being the limiting consumable which is usually the case per standard ISS supply management.

Cygnus OA-8 is loaded with 3,229 Kilograms of pressurized cargo comprising 1,240 Kilograms of crew supplies including food provisions and clothing, 851kg of vehicle hardware, 740kg of utilization hardware including new experiments and materials for ongoing studies, and 166kg of spacewalk equipment and computer resources. Two powered polar freezers are installed aboard Cygnus, holding cold stowage items for biological experiments as well as fresh fruit and vegetables plus ice cream for the crew.

>> Cygnus OA-8 Cargo Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/cargo-overview/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152108.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/oa8-RNDZ-5.jpg)
Photo: NASA TV

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152110.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/oa8-RNDZ-8.jpg)
Photo: NASA TV

Hardware aboard the Cygnus includes replacement gas bottles for the Combustion Integrated Rack for upcoming research into combustion dynamics in microgravity, a Rodent Habitat to provide a home for the next Rodent Research mission flying on SpaceX, and parts for the Station's 3D printer. Space Tango's TangoLab module is set for a unique demonstration during this mission, taking up temporary residence aboard the Cygnus spacecraft to prove the feasibility of using the cargo module as an extension to the scientific modules of the Space Station.

Cygnus is also carrying a series of CubeSats – two are to be transferred to the Kibo module for installation in a NanoRacks deployer to be released via the Station's Japanese Robotic Arm while Cygnus itself hosts a CubeSat deployer holding 14 satellites for deployment into an orbit around 100 Kilometers above ISS after Cygnus departs the Station.

Cygnus is booked for a short stay of just under three weeks, making for a fairly packed timeline for unloading the spacecraft and re-loading it with trash and no-longer-needed hardware. Unberthing is planned for December 3rd to position Cygnus for an overnight session of radio and GPS testing to verify Commercial Crew vehicles arriving and departing the Harmony module can do so without radio interference. Released on December 4th, Cygnus will be guided into the CubeSat deployment orbit above ISS and then conduct maneuvers toward a destructive re-entry over the Pacific to close out its mission.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK's Cygnus Rendzevous and Installation to the International Space Station

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220647.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/NASAtelevision) NASA (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLA_DiR1FfKNvjuUpBHmylQ)

Опубликовано: 14 нояб. 2017 г.

Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station Nov. 14 after a two-day journey following its launch Nov. 12 on the company's Antares rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Dubbed the "SS Gene Cernan" after the late Gemini and Apollo astronaut who was the last man to walk on the moon, Cygnus was captured by Expedition 53 Flight Engineer Paolo Nespoli of ESA (the European Space Agency) and Commander Randy Bresnik of NASA using the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm.

ЦитироватьCygnus arrives at space station with food, experiments and cache of CubeSats
November 14, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

A commercial cargo craft owned and operated by Orbital ATK wrapped up a two-day journey to the International Space Station on Tuesday, delivering ice cream and pizza for the lab's six-person crew and hardware for a slew of research experiments, including CubeSats slated for orbital deployments in the coming weeks.

Guided by GPS and laser navigation sensors, the Cygnus supply ship approached the space station fr om below, pausing at several pre-planned hold points for astronauts and ground controllers to check the progress of the rendezvous.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127146.jpg)
The Cygnus supply ship on final approach to the International Space Station on Tuesday. Credit: NASA/Randy Bresnik

After it reached a final hold point around 30 feet, or 10 meters, fr om the orbiting complex, astronaut Paolo Nespoli took control of the station's 58-foot-long (17-meter) Canadian-built robotic arm to grapple the Cygnus spaceship at 5:04 a.m. EST (1004 GMT) as the vehicles sailed 260 miles (418 kilometers) over the southeastern Indian Ocean.

Ground controllers commanded the robotic arm to place the Cygnus supply carrier on the Unity module's Earth-facing berthing mechanism a few hours later. Sixteen bolts drove closed in four steps to firmly connect the newly-arrived cargo craft with the space station.

The automated arrival came two days after the Cygnus resupply vessel lifted off Sunday from a launch pad on Virginia's Eastern Shore, riding an Orbital ATK Antares rocket into orbit to kick off its orbital pursuit of the space station.

Astronauts opened hatches leading into the Cygnus' pressurized cargo module later Tuesday, a day earlier than planned.

Crew members will unload 7,118 pounds (3,229 kilograms) of cargo from the Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized module beginning Wednesday. The supply shipment includes:

[/li]
• 2,734 pounds (1,240 kilograms) of crew supplies
• 1,631 pounds (740 kilograms) of science investigations
• 291 pounds (132 kilograms) of spacewalk equipment
• 1,875 pounds (851 kilograms) of vehicle hardware
• 75 pounds (34 kilograms) of computer resources
  

Fresh fruit and vegetables are among the goodies riding inside a refrigerator on Cygnus spacecraft.

"The crew is going to get some treats when they open up the hatch," said Dan Hartman, NASA's deputy space station program manager, before the launch.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127147.jpg)
The Cygnus supply ship approaches the International Space Station on Tuesday. Credit: NASA/Randy Bresnik

The station's four astronauts living and working in the U.S. segment of the outpost will get to work on experiments carried in the Cygnus. For the first time, they will also relocate some research hardware already on the station into a rack inside the Cygnus cargo module, using the facility as a temporary research base.

Among the scientific supplies delivered to the station Tuesday were gas bottles to support an advanced combustion microgravity experiment, a habitat for research rodents launching on a future mission, and items for a 3D printer aboard the orbiting laboratory, according to Camille Alleyne, associate space station program scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Two CubeSats will be transferred inside the space station to join three others for release into orbit through the Japanese lab module's airlock.

One of the CubeSats is named the E. Coli Antimicrobial Satellite, or EcAMSat, is about the size of a small briefcase. Developed by engineers at NASA's Ames Research Center and scientists at Stanford University, EcAMSat will study the antibiotic resistance in space of E. coli, a bacterial pathogen responsible for urinary tract infection in humans and animals.

EcAMSat's mission is expected to last more than a year, and two types of E. coli cells — a wild and a mutant strain — contained in 48 microfluidic wells inside the CubeSat's miniature laboratory will be activated, grown and tested once the 23-pound (10-kilogram) satellite is ejected from the station's Japanese robotic arm, according to Stevan Spremo, EcAMSat's project manager.

"With this, we believe that we'll learn more about antibiotic resistance in the microgravity environment, wh ere E. coli are known to grow more virulently in space," Spremo said.

The results could help protect astronauts on future space missions and develop countermeasures that may be useful for humans on Earth, he said.

The other small spacecraft carried on the OA-8 mission and destined for deployment through the Kibo airlock is TechEdSat 6, another experimental CubeSat from the Ames Research Center in partnership with San Jose State University and the University of Idaho.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/127148.jpg)
Artist's concept of the TechEdSat 6 spacecraft. Credit: NASA

TechEdSat 6 is the latest in a series of CubeSats testing an "exo-brake" de-orbit system, a drag device that uses aerodynamic forces — and not propulsion — to re-enter the atmosphere. The technology could eventually allow some space station research samples to return to Earth sooner, and at less expense.

Station astronauts will repack the Cygnus spacecraft's Italian-built logistics module with trash before closing hatches and detaching the supply ship from the Unity module with the robotic arm Dec. 3.

Mission control will maneuver the Cygnus a few feet from another berthing port on the station's Harmony module, wh ere crew capsules from Boeing and SpaceX are expected to dock once they are ready to begin flying astronauts into orbit.

Engineers will use the Cygnus spacecraft to simulate the presence of a commercial crew craft at Harmony's space-facing port and check to ensure it does not block GPS navigation signals from reaching the space station.

Once those tests are finished, the robotic arm will release Cygnus on Dec. 4, and Orbital ATK's ground team will send commands to raise the ship's orbit to an altitude of around 300 miles (500 kilometers).

In that orbit, Cygnus will deploy 14 more CubeSats — ranging in size from a Rubik's Cube to a loaf of bread — from an external device provided by NanoRacks, a Houston-based company that offers small satellite deployments on space station cargo flights.

"OA-8 is yet another unique mission for NanoRacks," said Henry Martin, NanoRacks' senior mission manager. "We're thrilled to have a full external Cygnus deployer, displaying its maximum capability. This mission also brings new customers from outside the industry into space while continuing partnerships with existing customers like Spire for their ongoing satellite constellation. Notably, this mission will also deploy our first-ever propulsive satellite from the Cygnus spacecraft."

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126517.jpg)
One of Spire's Lemur satellites. Credit: Spaceflight

Eight of the CubeSats will join Spire Global's commercial weather satellite network, which derives humidity and temperature profiles by measuring GPS navigation signals passing through Earth's atmosphere.

Two AeroCube satellites assembled by the Aerospace Corp. for NASA's Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration, or OCSD, mission will test high-speed laser communications and an innovative water-based propulsion system to maneuver in close proximity to one another.

"Our primary mission for OCSD is to demonstrate laser communications by using a laser on the spacecraft to downlink data to our optical ground station on Mt. Wilson in California," said Richard Welle, Aerospace senior scientist and one of the principal investigators for OCSD. "This is the first CubeSat laser communications system that will demonstrate an optical downlink. This compact laser package with its potential for much higher rates proves a promising future for CubeSat-scale laser communications."

The ISARA CubeSat developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will study the performance of an integrated solar array and radio antenna and a compact suite of three visible and infrared cameras that could be employed on future weather satellites.

The Naval Postgraduate School's PropCube 2 CubeSat is also slated for deployment from Cygnus in December to measure disturbances in the ionosphere, an upper layer of Earth's atmosphere.

The Cost-effective High E-Frequency Satellite, or CHEFSat, from the Naval Research Laboratory will help engineers gauge the performance of a consumer-grade radio frequency device in space.

The first satellite for Asgardia, an organization that aims to become the first nation state in space, was also launched Sunday. The group was created by Igor Ashurbeyli, a Russian scientist, and the Asgardia 1 satellite hosts a 500-gigabyte solid state drive containing files and data uploaded by the organization's supporters, or citizens.

The Cygnus spacecraft will fall out of orbit in December after wrapping up the CubeSat deployments and burn up in the atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean, discarding the space station's trash and other unneeded items tagged for disposal by NASA.

Orbital ATK is one of two NASA contractors with operational resupply vehicles for the space station.

The space agency awarded contracts to Orbital ATK and SpaceX in 2008 to ferry cargo to the research lab after the retirement of the space shuttle. Orbital originally received a $1.9 billion contract for eight missions, a deal that was later extended to 11 flights.

The current mission, known as OA-8, is the eighth flight in Orbital ATK's cargo resupply contract. NASA awarded Orbital ATK, SpaceX and newcomer Sierra Nevada Corp. a new round resupply contracts in 2016, guaranteeing each company a minimum of six more cargo missions from 2019 through 2024.

That puts Orbital ATK's backlog at at least nine more Cygnus resupply flights in the next seven years, most of which are expected to launch on the company's own Antares booster from Virginia. Orbital ATK also has the option to launch Cygnus missions using United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rockets.

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ЦитироватьК.А. пишет:
РН на низкую опорную орбиту может вытащить около 7000 кг.

ЦитироватьPirat5 (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/user/16106/) пишет:
Правильно я понимаю, что Лемуры ... полетят с борта Синуса

ЦитироватьК.А. пишет:
На счет веса корабля. Я тут провел анализ, на основании информации по запускам "Лебедя" ранее.
По моим прикидкам корабль без топлива должен весить 6488 кг? Его баки вмещают до 830 кг топлива? РН на низкую опорную орбиту может вытащить около 7000 кг. Из чего можно сделать вывод о массе корабля на старте - 7000 - 7300 кг.

ЦитироватьApollo13 пишет:

ЦитироватьК.А. пишет:
На счет веса корабля. Я тут провел анализ, на основании информации по запускам "Лебедя" ранее.
По моим прикидкам корабль без топлива должен весить 6488 кг? Его баки вмещают до 830 кг топлива? РН на низкую опорную орбиту может вытащить около 7000 кг. Из чего можно сделать вывод о массе корабля на старте - 7000 - 7300 кг.

 https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Documents/FS004_17_Cygnus_OA-8.pdf

Вроде все вместе 6173 кг. У нынешнего Антареса максимальная ПН вроде 6500 кг. В дальнейшем планируется небольшой апгрейд до 6900 - 7000 кг.

ЦитироватьК.А. пишет:

ЦитироватьApollo13 пишет:

ЦитироватьК.А. пишет:
На счет веса корабля. Я тут провел анализ, на основании информации по запускам "Лебедя" ранее.
По моим прикидкам корабль без топлива должен весить 6488 кг? Его баки вмещают до 830 кг топлива? РН на низкую опорную орбиту может вытащить около 7000 кг. Из чего можно сделать вывод о массе корабля на старте - 7000 - 7300 кг.

 https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/Documents/FS004_17_Cygnus_OA-8.pdf

Вроде все вместе 6173 кг. У нынешнего Антареса максимальная ПН вроде 6500 кг. В дальнейшем планируется небольшой апгрейд до 6900 - 7000 кг.

Спасибо за наводку, но тогда возникает новый казус. В миссии Cygnuc OA-5 корабль доставил на МКС 2425 кг при заявленной стартовой массе 6163 кг. Разница по доставляемому грузу на МКС - 913 кг, а по весу кораблей - 10 кг? Как понять этот парадокс?

ЦитироватьMark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted on November 15, 2017

Cygnus Open for Business; Crew Unloading New Bacteria, Plant and Tech Studies

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131316.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131316.jpg)
The Cygnus spacecraft is pictured after it had been grappled with the Canadarm2 robotic arm by astronauts Paolo Nespoli and Randy Bresnik on Nov. 14, 2017.

The Expedition 53 (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition53/index.html) astronauts are continuing to unload several thousand pounds of space cargo from the new Cygnus resupply ship that arrived Tuesday morning (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/11/14/robotic-arm-reaches-out-and-grapples-cygnus/). Some of the new science cargo contains harmful bacteria for observation and CubeSats that will be deployed in Earth orbit.

Спойлер

The Cygnus is now installed (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/11/14/cygnus-installed-on-station-with-new-science-experiments/) on the Unity module and open for business. The astronauts entered the cargo craft Tuesday and started replenishing the station with almost 7,400 pounds of crew supplies, science experiments, spacewalk gear, station hardware and computer parts.

Some of the new research payloads will be looking at the space impacts on microbiology and botany. The advanced space research will explore the effectiveness of antibiotics (https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/engineering/projects/ecamsat) on astronauts and observe how plants absorb nutrients (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2717.html) in microgravity. Some dangerous germs delivered aboard Cygnus have also been safely transferred to the STaARS-1 Bioscience (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2512.html) facility for later observation.

A couple of the newest technology experiments will deploy CubeSats to explore laser communications (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/ocsd_project.html) and hybrid solar panels (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/isara.php). Scientists will study the ability of small satellites to communicate with each other using lasers and also explore if a combination of antenna and solar cells can speed up communication rates.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьSpace to Ground: Stuffed with Science: 11/17/2017

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220651.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/ReelNASA) NASA Johnson (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmheCYT4HlbFi943lpH009Q)

Опубликовано: 17 нояб. 2017 г.