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ЦитироватьКрасивая дата =)
но наверняка перенесут...

ЦитироватьКрасивая дата =)

ЦитироватьDespite these outstanding issues, Suffredini presented a timeline chart showing the next SpaceX mission to ISS scheduled for March 2013.   That chart also listed the first flight of Orbital Science's Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the ISS for April 2013, but Suffredini advised the committee not to bank on it because he expects that date to slip.
As the briefing continued it became clear that a delay might be needed in any case because of an unresolved problem that arose when Japan's HTV cargo spacecraft was released from the ISS.   The HTV automatically aborted the release when it detected an "off-nominal trajectory" resulting from friction between the grapple fixture and Canadarm2 that caused Canadarm2 to pull HTV as it was trying to back away.  Suffredini said they are still investigating what happened.  SpaceX uses a different configuration, so it is not issue for the next Dragon flight, he said, but Cygnus uses the same configuration as HTV and "we need to sort it out before Cygnus flies."

ЦитироватьCygnus' first visit to the ISS:

While SpaceX are preparing to make their third flight to the ISS, Orbital Sciences Corporation are also hard at work preparing for the debut mission of their Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS.

With the first milestone in the Antares and Cygnus test program now complete – a 30 second hold-down test of the Antares first stage – which appears at first glance to have been a complete success, the next milestone will be a full-up test flight of the Antares rocket with a dummy Cygnus spacecraft. According to Orbital officials, this milestone is scheduled to be performed around 5 weeks after the hold-down test, which would give a tentative date of early April for the Antares test flight.

The COTS demo flight – where the first Cygnus spacecraft would attempt to rendezvous and berth with the ISS – would be performed around 3 months after the Antares test flight, giving a tentative date of early July for the COTS demo flight.

Finally, the first Antares/Cygnus CRS flight would occur 3-4 months after the COTS demo flight, giving a tentative timeframe of early October-early November for the first Orbital CRS flight – although November has issues from a flight scheduling standpoint, due to a Beta angle cut-out from Nov 2 to Nov 9, and then a period wh ere only one US crewmember will be present on the ISS (thus creating issues for Visiting Vehicle captures) from Nov 10 to Nov 25.

The above schedule however is extremely tentative, and is dependent upon the test flight program proceeding without any issues or setbacks.

ЦитироватьКосмос-3794 пишет:

Первая ступень будет оставаться на столе в течении недели (1-й недели марта), затем будет перемещена в МИК, восстановлена (после ОИ) и использована для полета по программме CRS. Неделей позже, полностью собранный Антарес с ГВМ Сигнуса будет установлен на стартовом столе. Сама ракета уже практически готова. Далее две недели проверок и испытаний на столе, потом проверочная заправка и слив топлива.
Повреждения стартовых конструкций (после ОИ) незначительны. До пуска планируется установка дополнительного гелиевого холодильника.
Демонстрационный пуск предварительно запланирован на начало апреля. В случае успеха полет Сигнуса по программе COTS состоится летом, а первый полет по программе CRS в конце этого - начале следующего года. Один двигатель (для CRS) уже прошел приемочные испытания в центре Стенниса, приемка второго состоится в течении месяца. С учетом этого на космодроме будет готовое "железо" для четырех ракет.
За каждый пуск Орбитал выплачивает штату Вирджиния (владельцу космодрома) $1.5 миллиона.

ЦитироватьWASHINGTON — Following a successful test firing of its main engine Feb. 25, the Antares rocket developed by Orbital Sciences Corp. is in final integration at its Virginia launch site and scheduled to roll out to the pad in mid-March in preparation for an early April debut, a company official said Feb. 28.

Спойлер

Antares, developed with financial assistance fr om NASA, will be used to launch Orbital's Cygnus cargo to the international space station (ISS) under an eight-flight, $1.9 billion services contract awarded by the space agency in 2008.
Before Dulles, Va.-based Orbital can begin routine deliveries, however, it must carry out two successful Antares demonstrations, the second of which will carry a station-bound Cygnus capsule. The first will attempt to place a simulated Cygnus capsule into the initial orbit used for space station deliveries.
The Antares team at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va., and the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority that operates the launch pad will spend the next five to six weeks refurbishing the platform and parsing a mountain of data from the 29-second hot fire of the rocket's core stage.
According to the data examined so far, Antares passed "with flying colors," Mike Pinkston, Orbital's program manager for Antares, said Feb. 28.

Pinkston said the just-fired core stage will remain on the pad through the first week of March, and then be brought back to Orbital's nearby Horizontal Integration Facility, wh ere it will be refurbished for a future station resupply mission. A week later, a fully integrated Antares, carrying a Cygnus mass simulator, will be brought to the pad.
"The test-mission rocket itself is really all but done," Pinkston said. "It's actually tracking to a schedule that's ahead of the activities we've got going on at the pad, so the rocket itself won't be our critical path."
Once raised at the pad, Antares will undergo a roughly two-week series of checks to verify the fully integrated rocket along with its interfaces with the pad and launch range, Pinkston said. "Then we will go through a wet-dress rehearsal, which will fuel and then defuel the rocket."
Pinkston would not say what day Orbital has targeted for launch.

Antares will launch from Pad-0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, which is operated by the state of Virginia. The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority leases Pad-0A to Orbital, which last year signed a deal with the state for 10 Antares launches. The state is charging Orbital $1.5 million per launch.
Dale Nash, executive director of the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, said Pad-0A fared well after the Antares hot fire.
"We thought we would have to do a fair amount of repair to the flame trench, but it really came through well," Nash said March 1 in a phone interview.
The authority, which outfitted Pad-0A to handle the liquid-fueled Antares, has one more construction item on its to-do list ahead of the rocket's debut: connecting an additional helium subcooler to the pad's network of plumbing.
"There is an existing cooler right now that cools liquid oxygen and chills helium," Nash said. "We wanted to get better chilling on the helium, so there's an additional subcooler that's been there that hasn't been hooked in yet."
 During the April demonstration launch, NASA technicians at Wallops will conduct "tracking and telemetry, range safety and surveillance, control center operations, optical support, security, and a host of other facility activities," NASA spokesman Jeremy Eggers said in a Feb. 28 email.
Eggers said representatives from Orbital, NASA and the state of Virginia will meet nine days before the launch for a range readiness review, and again for a launch readiness review two days out.
Assuming Antares is successful, a demonstration mission to the space station would take place sometime this summer, followed by the first contracted cargo delivery mission late this year or early next.
Pinkston said one of the two AJ-26 core-stage engines that would be used for the first contracted delivery has completed acceptance testing at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The second will complete similar testing in about a month, he said.
Each Antares rocket uses two AJ-26 engines — built in Russia and refurbished by Sacramento, Calif.-based Aerojet — in its Ukrainian-built core stage.
"Roughly speaking, we're about one engine acceptance test away from having four rockets worth of hardware at Wallops," Pinkston said.

[свернуть]

 http://www.spacenews.com/article/first-antares-rocket-to-fly-in-space-%E2%80%98all-but-done%E2%80%99-orbital-sciences-says#.UTG9VDCeOUw

ЦитироватьStars align for Orbital's Antares – A-One debut set for mid-April
March 17, 2013 by Chris Bergin
...
ORB-D Mission:

This mission will be the key COTS validation flight, involving an Antares launch vehicle carrying a fully operational Cygnus spacecraft that will rendezvous and berth with the ISS to demonstrate the full capabilities of the cargo resupply system.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/27778.jpg)

The Cygnus vehicle consists of an advanced Service Module and a Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM). The Service Module incorporates avionics, power and propulsion systems from Orbital's flight-proven LEOStar and GEOStar satellite product lines.

Thales Alenia Space are providing Orbital with the pressurized modules for cargo missions to the ISS. The first PCM was followed by three more units in "standard" configuration, capable of transporting up to 2,000 kg of cargo each, along with five "enhanced" configuration units to follow, boosting payload capacity to 2,700 kg.

Cygnus ISS Sim at Orbital MCC, via L2A large amount of planning for this mission has already been undertaken, such as several full simulation runs at Orbital's mission control center, one of which can been seen in an exclusive video provided – with permission – to L2.

Like SpaceX's C2+ validation mission with Dragon, ORB-D's Cygnus will deliver actual cargo on its demo mission to the Station.

While the full list of cargo has not been finalized, ISS status notes (L2) recently spoke of two printer spares that have been designated to ride on Cygnus' demo mission, showing ISS managers are keeping the new spacecraft's debut run in the forefront of their upmass evaluations.

Also, L2 documentation for the debut mission shows a basic sequence for cargo ops has already been written for the ISS crew.

TInside Cygnushis involves the crew opening the hatch and removing the "top layers" on PORT and STBD pallets to make room in PCM. They will then be tasked with removing components of the Secondary Structure as required, ahead of emptying the FWD and AFT pallets to gain access to the Standoff pallets, which they will empty and repack.

The reverse sequence will be employed until the vehicle has been repacked, although all the return cargo won't be classed as downmass, because – unlike Dragon – Cygnus won't be returning to the ground or water.

Instead, it'll be sent on a path to a destructive re-entry.

ЦитироватьSpace Station Cargo Loaded in to Cargo Module at Wallops

March 2013

Orbital's Cygnus Cargo team recently loaded cargo into the COTS Demonstration Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) in advance of the COTS Demonstration Flight. The cargo fr om NASA arrived at Wallops Flight Facility building H-100 by truck from Houston Texas on March 19th and was accepted by the Cygnus team that evening. The cargo was then unpacked, weighed, measured and inspected to ensure that the cargo successfully survived the trip. The cargo was then loaded into the Pressurized Cargo Module starting on March 22nd and completing on March 23rd. A total of 1235 lbs of cargo (560 kg) was loaded into the Cygnus. In addition, the Cygnus team configured the interior of the module for flight. The PCM is now ready to be mated to the Service Module when it arrives at H-100 on March26th.
An additional 376 lbs of cargo (171 kg) will be added to Cygnus once it is mated to the Antares rocket just prior to launch.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85011.jpg)
NASA flight cargo being in-processed for loading at Building H-100, Wallops Flight Facility, VA

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Cargo PreFlight Inspection

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Cargo Delivered to the Cargo Module for Loading

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Cargo Bag Insertion into the PCM

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85015.jpg)
Securing ISS Cargo in place

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85016.jpg)
Pressurized Cargo Module Loaded With Cargo and Prepared for Launch


First Cygnus Service Module Shipped to Wallops

March 2013

On March 26th 2013, the Orbital Sciences Cygnus team shipped the Service Module (SM) for the COTS Demonstration mission from Orbital's Satellite Manufacturing Facility to Building H-100 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility (WFF). The SM, encased in a protective shipping container, made the approximately 200 mile trip by truck to the H-100 facility high bay, wh ere the trailer was dropped off. The Cygnus integration and test team will carefully remove the SM from the shipping container, inspect the SM for any damage from the trip, and begin launch site processing. In early April, the SM will be mated to the Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM), which was loaded with cargo and configured for flight on March 23rd. The complete Cygnus spacecraft will then be transferred from H-100 to building V-55 at WFF for hypergolic propellant loading. Once fueled, the Cygnus will be ready for integration on the Antares rocket.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85017.jpg)
Cygnus Service Module in its shipping container at Orbital’s  Satellite Manufacturing Facility, Dulles, Virginia, just prior to departure for  Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85018.jpg)
Cygnus Service Module arriving at H-100, Wallops Flight Facility building H-100 on March 26, 2013.

ЦитироватьИскандер пишет:
Спецы, кто смотрел профиль выведения первого Antares?
 http://www.collectspace.com/review/orbital_a-one_overview01-lg.jpg
Между выключением ДУ первой ступени и стартом ДУ второй 98 секунд!!!  :o  
В чем смысл? Для чего? Компенсация отсутствия полезного груза в тестовом полете по причине использования твердотопливной второй ступенью?
Если так, то кривовато как-то получается...

ЦитироватьCygnus Integration Begins at Wallops Flight Facility

April 2013

Orbital has unpacked the Cygnus Service Module (SM) (pictured in the foreground below) from its transfer trailer and has begun launch site integration testing following its journey from Orbital's Satellite Manufacturing Facility in Dulles VA. The Cygnus SM and its Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM)(background) are now both located in Building H-100 at the Wallops Flight Facility. Orbital is planning to mate the cargo-loaded PCM to the SM early in the week of April 1st.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85361.jpg)

COTS Demo Cygnus Spacecraft Mated at Wallops

April 2013

The COTS Demonstration Cygnus spacecraft completed a significant milestone on Tuesday, April 2, when its Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) was attached to the Service Module (SM), and all mechanical flight connections were attached. The PCM was recently loaded with cargo, and was reoriented from the horizontal to the vertical to facilitate the attachment. The vertically oriented PCM was then lifted and precisely relocated over the SM by Orbital engineers and technicians.
After connecting electrical harnesses, the now completed Cygnus will perform a final set of tests to ensure proper functioning of the combined PCM/SM systems. After completion of the testing, the Cygnus will be prepared for transportation to the fueling facility.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85362.jpg)

ЦитироватьSFN пишет:
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67200.jpg)

ЦитироватьCygnus Spacecraft Fueled at Wallops Flight Facility

April 2013

– While all eyes have been on Antares in the recent weeks, our Cygnus spacecraft has achieved many significant firsts as it prepares for its maiden voyage to the International Space Station. After initial cargo installation at Wallops Flight Facility building H-100 and the first-time mating of the Cygnus Service and Cargo Modules, Cygnus completed its next milestone by completing its Launch-Site Integrated Systems Test and its transfer fr om the Wallops Main Base to the Wallops Fueling Facility, on Wallops Island, just north of the Antares launch site.

For the transfer, the Cygnus was loaded into the Cygnus Vertical Carrier (CVC). Because Cygnus was using the main road through the town of Atlantic, Virginia, the transfer was conducted at midnight, when road traffic would be minimal. Local residents did come out to watch Cygnus' historic trip, which gave a festive air to a technical activity. Total travel time was a little less than 3 hours, with speeds averaging between five and seven miles per hour. Cygnus was delivered to the hypergolic fueling facility at building V-55, early on the morning of April 13th, where preparations immediately began for the fueling.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67202.jpg)
Cygnus installed in  the CVC for transport to Building V-55

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Cygnus leaving  Wallops main base building H-100

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Cygnus en-route  through the town of Atlantic

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The CVC arriving at  building V-55

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Cygnus being  removed from the CVC at building V-55

Because Cygnus uses hypergolic propellants, Orbital loads the fuel on one day, and then the oxidizer several days later. Since both fuel an oxidizer are poisonous, our Orbital personnel must wear special personal protective equipment while working with the propellants in the event of a leak in the facility. In the following pictures, Orbital personnel are "suited up" in SCAPE suits for the fuel loading. SCAPE stands for "Self-Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble," and the suits look very much like an astronaut's space suit. Fueling is monitored by engineering and safety personnel in building V-50, located nearby to V-55. Personnel in V-50 used a series of closed circuit TV cameras to monitor activities during the propellant loading process. Fuel loading occurred on April 15th, with oxidizer loading occurring on April 19th. Now fully fueled, Cygnus will be returned to the CVC for transfer from V-55 to the Horizontal Integration Facility, wh ere it will wait for integration onto the Antares for the COTS Demonstration mission to the space station.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67207.jpg)
Orbital Propulsion  Team members in SCAPE suits

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67208.jpg)
Orbital propulsion  team monitors fueling activities and parameters

ЦитироватьSalo пишет:
В первых двух полётах используется на второй ступени Cаstor-30A. ПН судя по A-one составляет 3800 кг.
Во время CRS-1 (Orb-1) и CRS-2 (Orb-2) будет использоваться Саstor-30B и ПН составит 4600 кг.
Начиная с CRS-3 (Orb-3) будет использоваться Саstor-30XL и ПН составит 5100 кг.

Соответственно и масса грузов доставляемых на МКС будет расти.

ЦитироватьSFN пишет:
 
Мля. Куда смотрят американские яблочники? Почему они не требуют немедленного закрытия Валлопса и прекращения использования гидразинных технологий?  ;)

ЦитироватьAfter Antares test launch, Orbital aims for space station
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: April 26, 2013

Buoyed by a flawless test launch of the Antares rocket, the heavy-lifting part of its commercial cargo resupply system for the International Space Station, Orbital Sciences Corp. has its eye on a summer demonstration flight of the company's Cygnus resupply freighter.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85796.jpg)
Artist's concept of a Cygnus spacecraft awaiting grapple by the space station's robot arm. Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.
 

Спойлер

The next flight, scheduled to launch in June or July, will go all the way to the space station and offers a steeper technical challenge for the Virginia-based aerospace contractor than the successful launch of its first Antares rocket Sunday.

"I'm not going to hold my breath any less on the next one than I did on this one," said Frank Culbertson, executive vice president and general manager of Orbital's advanced programs group. "Every launch is a challenge, and you want to make sure that it's all done right."

Sunday's flight was the culmination of a six-year, $300 million effort to design, build and test the Antares booster, which can loft medium-class satellites into orbit and is contracted by NASA to launch nine more times on cargo deliveries to the space station.

It also broke in a new $140 million launch pad at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Launch pad 0A is owned by Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and was mostly funded by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority.

"Early results of the engineering analysis indicate that the vehicle's all-important first stage system, including its twin liquid rocket engines, performed exactly as expected, as did other vehicle systems as well as the launch complex's propellant and pressurization equipment," said David Thompson, Orbital's chairman, president and CEO.

Culbertson said the success of Antares permits the company to move on to the next phase of its $288 million agreement with NASA, which is how the U.S. government finances development of the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft in partnership with Orbital's own capital.

"All of that demonstrated that when we do this again, we know how to make this happen and we'll get that payload - the Cygnus - into orbit and on its way to the International Space Station, so that it can continue its mission and we can provide the cargo, the experiments, the clothing and food that they need to sustain and extend their mission."

Already fueled and loaded with cargo, the first Cygnus spacecraft will be bolted to the second Antares rocket ahead of launch fr om Wallops Island, Va.

Sunday's Antares test flight only sent a dummy payload into orbit.

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(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85797.jpg)
Workers loaded cargo into the Cygnus pressurized cargo module in March. Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.
 

Спойлер

Engineers installed cargo bags into the spacecraft's cylindrical pressurized module, built by Thales Alenia Space of Italy, and pumped maneuvering propellant the vehicle's service module, manufactured by Orbital Sciences. The spacecraft will be kept in storage until it is ready for attachment to the Antares rocket at the launch base's horizontal integration facility, according to Culbertson.

"It's ready to be transferred into the horizontal integration facility, and as soon as the rocket is ready to receive it, we will integrate the two together and it will be ready to roll out to the pad some time this summer - probably late June or early July," Culbertson said. "So we will be on track for delivery, assuming the space station schedule can accommodate us, and we don't run into any unforeseen problems."

In March, technicians packed 1,235 pounds of cargo into the craft's Italian-built main cabin, then engineers mated the pressurized compartment to the Cygnus service module. Earlier this month, workers filled the spaceship's tanks with propellant.

"The spacecraft will not be the long pole in getting to the pad," Culbertson said. "It will be just evaluating the pad condition to see what we have to do to refurbish it, if anything, and then getting the next core completely assembled with its engines, the second stage, and get the fairing in here so we can assemble and attach the spacecraft to the front end, and then roll it out."

Workers will add some additional cargo, including fresh food, into the Cygnus spacecraft before it rolls to the launch pad.

The Cygnus freighter's cargo section is based on the multi-purpose logistics modules used by NASA to ferry supplies to and from the space station in the space shuttle era. Orbital devised the Cygnus service module using a design proven on the company's geostationary communications satellites.

While Orbital paid for the development of the Antares rocket with private financing, the company funded work on Cygnus jointly with NASA. Orbital started working on the Antares rocket in early 2007, and the firm won public funding from NASA in February 2008.

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(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85798.jpg)
The assembled cargo and service modules of the first Cygnus spacecraft at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.
 

Спойлер

NASA tapped Orbital and SpaceX, which has accomplished its space station test flights, for operational resupply missions to the space station in December 2008. Orbital's contract is worth $1.9 billion and covers eight flights through 2016.

The U.S. space agency turned to the commercial sector to replace some of the cargo-carrying capacity lost with the space shuttle's retirement.

Orbital's first four operational Cygnus missions will each carry up to 4,400 pounds of equipment, food and experiments to the space station. Orbital and Thales plan to introduce a larger cargo module for flights in the second half of the contract, raising the Cygnus capacity to nearly 6,000 pounds per flight.

Unlike SpaceX's Dragon spaceship, which can return hardware to Earth intact, the Cygnus will dispose of the space station's trash in a fiery re-entry back into the atmosphere, similar to most of the station's supply freighters.

One big advantage of the Cygnus is its ability to carry more volume than Dragon, according to NASA.

With most of the hardware for the next mission already at the Wallops launch base, engineers will complete pending safety reviews for NASA and space station partners to approve the approach of the Cygnus spacecraft within the outpost's vicinity.

"What's left to finish up is the verification of the final safety review packages to make sure it is compliant with the visiting vehicle requirements that we establish," said Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, which oversees the cost-sharing development agreement for the Orbital Sciences cargo resupply system.

"Once those verifications are complete, we'll go into a final review of flight readiness status," Lindenmoyer said.

Meanwhile, NASA and Orbital will continue joint testing of the Cygnus spacecraft's flight software.

"There has already been a great deal of joint testing done with the software simulating a mission, and that's gone very well," Lindenmoyer said.

The joint tests ensure the Cygnus software will function in concert with the space station.

"Software is always one of the most challenging things in any development," said Frank DeMauro, Orbital's Cygnus program manager.

[свернуть]

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/85799.jpg)
Photo of the successful Antares test launch April 21. Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp./Thom Baur
 

Спойлер

Culbertson said the Antares and Cygnus teams will be ready when called upon.

"When we do this with a Cygnus spacecraft on the front end, and we have cargo to deliver, we're not going to have the luxury of a two-hour window," Culbertson said, referring to the length of the launch window on the Antares test flight. "We're going to have anywhere from five to zero minutes, so we're going to have to get it right the first time."

It will take three-to-five days for the Cygnus spacecraft to each the space station. The exact timing of the mission partially depends on finding an opening in the space station's busy manifest, which this summer includes the arrivals of European, Russian and Japanese resupply ships, plus a series of spacewalks.

"We'll be at a certain level of nervousness all the way to main engine cutoff and then to orbit insertion," Culbertson said. "But on that one, of course, we will have the additional challenge of making sure the Cygnus is actually in orbit and that it deploys its solar arrays, it has its own power, and then it can start its rendezvous maneuvers to get to the station, which will take about three-to-five days."

Along the way, controllers at Orbital Sciences headquarters in Dulles, Va., will put the Cygnus spacecraft through predefined tests, demos and health checks. NASA must sign off on the results of the tests before the craft can get close to the space station.

Using automatic on-board navigation aids, the Cygnus spacecraft will fly itself to a point about 30 feet below the space station, wh ere it will be grasped with the lab's robotic arm and moved to a parking spot on the complex for a stay of up to a month.

"We won't relax for quite a while on that one until we're actually grappled, berthed to the station and the hatch is opened," Culbertson said. "Even then, we'll still want to make sure everything goes right, but that will be a major achievement."

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Цитироватьanik пишет:

Current schedule of ISS flight events

June 15 - Cygnus (Orb-D) launch
June 17 - Cygnus (Orb-D) capture and berthing (to Harmony nadir) by SSRMS
July 5 - Cygnus (Orb-D) unberthing (from Harmony nadir) and releasing by SSRMS

Цитировать2013-05-01   COTS OSC Demo-1   Launch date is TBA.

ЦитироватьNCESSE's SSEP Mission 3 to ISS Experiment Payload on Historic Flight of Orbital Sciences Cygnus, launching from MARS, June 2013
Published on May 3, 2013 by Jeff Goldstein in News

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE), and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education are proud to announce that Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission 3 to ISS experiments will be on the first flight of Orbital Sciences Cygnus to dock with the International Space Station. We thought, though, that we'd share this historic milestone through a backstory. (Spoiler alert – this is a long post.)

This SSEP National Blog is used as a public information channel for the SSEP, providing general program news for anyone interested in following along, including students, teachers, a few hundred local and national partner organizations, and the interested public. But behind the scenes, each SSEP flight opportunity is associated with a network of participating communities, and all educational leadership and SSEP teachers in those communities are on an email distribution listserve. The flight-specific listserve is how day-to-day information is routed to the communities, to their grade 5-14 student researcher teams during the experiment design and proposal phase, and to the student flight experiment teams during the flight operations phase.

To provide a sense of the level of communication – right now and into the future – there are currently 17 Mission 3 to ISS communities in the midst of flight operations to orbit (over 7,000 students were fully engaged in microgravity experiment design and over 1,400 microgravity experiment proposals were submitted by student teams); 11 Mission 4 to ISS communities are winding up the proposal phase, with their flight experiments to be sel ected by the end of May, 2013; and NCESSE and the Clarke Institute are about to announce Mission 5 to ISS, with operations beginning September 2013. SSEP is about to turn 3 years old in June 2013. It is therefore remarkable that the SEVENTH flight opportunity to orbit  - Mission 5 to ISS – is about to be announced. Equally remarkable – 14 existing SSEP communities have already submitted formal Implementation Plans for Mission 5, reflecting communities starting their second, third, fourth, and even fifth SSEP flight opportunity. This is what sustainable STEM education looks like.

To provide a sense of SSEP program operations behind the scenes, we wanted to share a communique that was issued yesterday via the Mission 3 to ISS listserve. It provides a remarkable window on real spaceflight, what teamwork looks like, and the decisions that student flight teams need to make as real microgravity researchers. And it provides a window on the historic nature of what we are all doing together.

An important note for an understanding of the communique: The 17 Mission 3 to ISS flight experiment teams had a choice to fly their experiment to ISS aboard Soyuz 35S launching on May 28, 2013, or to fly on SpaceX-3 launching in the Fall. The Soyuz 35S flight was sooner, but did not provide refrigeration up to ISS, and the stay aboard ISS was a very long 15 weeks. The SpaceX-3 flight would be next academic year, but offered refrigeration up to ISS, and a more typical, approximately 6-week duration on ISS. Of the 17 flight teams, 5 decided to fly on Soyuz 35S. An additional two SSEP experiments were to fly on Soyuz 35S, a re-flight for a Mission 1 experiment and a re-flight for a Mission 2 experiment, due to mini-lab activation failure.

 

May 2, 2013, 8:40 am ET
SUBJECT: URGENT to the 7 SSEP Mission 3 Flight Teams on Soyuz 35s – Major Flight Change

To all 7 SSEP flight experiment teams that were scheduled to fly on Soyuz 35S on May 28, 2013 -

We unfortunately have a major change in ferry flight operations to ISS for the SSEP Mission 3 experiments payload. We received the notification below from NanoRacks on Tuesday, April 30, 2013, at 5:30 PM ET. Yesterday we were in communication with NanoRacks and fully assessed the situation. With this email, we are now forwarding you the NanoRacks notification together with NCESSE notes on impact, and immediate actions required by your student flight team. All Mission 3 community Program Directors for the 5 affected Mission 3 experiments, and all Teacher Facilitators for the 5 Mission 3 experiments, the Mission 1 re-flight experiment, and the the Mission 2 re-flight experiment are urged to rapidly communicate this information to their student flight teams, and respond rapidly to our request for information below.

Dr. Jeff Goldstein
SSEP National Program Director

From NanoRacks-

NanoRacks has been working with the Russians and NASA for the upcoming launch of the Mission 3 experiment mini-lab payload on Soyuz 35S, which was scheduled to lift off from Kazakhstan on May 28, 2013. Understanding the complexity of meeting this launch date in Kazakhstan via Russia, we asked [SSEP Falcon 1] flight experiment teams to ship their mini-labs to NanoRacks in Houston by April 24, six weeks in advance of launch.

We unfortunately must report that an unforeseen payload approval issue has come up last minute that makes launch of the payload on Soyuz 35S untenable. Unforeseen last minute requests by our Russian colleagues due to custom considerations to import biologicals has halted the payload onboarding process, and the additional requirements just put forward to NanoRacks make it impossible for us to be comfortable that we would have met the requirements in time to fly on Soyuz 35S.

Therefore, rather than gamble on acceptance, we accepted the offer from NASA to fly on the Orbital Sciences D-1 Cygnus mission scheduled to launch on June 15, 2013 out of NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia. We have to say this is NASA going above and beyond in support of NanoRacks, NCESSE, and SSEP.

We understand the transition to Orbital may lead to frustration on the part of the flight teams, given that the launch is pushed off, but this is the nature of the space business which is still a frontier. It is not easy. It is hard. Working together as a team we can make this happen, as we have for the last 4 SSEP flight missions.

We understand that some of the 7 experiments might be perishable, and may need to be resubmitted. If this is the case work though NCESSE, and we will all figure out a fix.

We also understand that pushing the flight beyond May 28 can pose real scheduling problems for some flight teams, given they will need to conduct ground truth experiments possibly after the end of the academic year. Again, this is the nature of the real space business, and it is what professional microgravity researchers must contend with for their flight operations. If pushing flight operations poses a problem for a flight team, again, work though NCESSE and let's see if we can find a work-around.

We wish that we did not have to report this problem, but please know we are always working on behalf of all NCESSE communities participating in SSEP to provide unique and real access to orbit for student researchers.

 

I. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM NCESSE IN RESPONSE TO NANORACKS NOTIFICATION

1. The flight to ISS is now scheduled to launch on Cygnus on June 15, 2013, 2.5 weeks later than the original Soyuz 35S flight on May 28, 2013. However, the ferry flight back to Earth, on Soyuz 34S, remains unchanged, with an un-docking currently scheduled for September 11, 2013. (Note, as is always the case, these launch and landing dates are indeed subject to change by NASA.) This means that the time on orbit for the experiments is 2.5 weeks shorter than planned – which might be a good thing since the originally planned 15-week duration on ISS was significantly longer than the typical SSEP flight opportunity which has payload on orbit for about 6 weeks. This was one of the key considerations when each Mission 3 flight team was deciding on going with the Soyuz 35S or SpaceX-3 opportunity.

2. Refrigeration: as with Soyuz 35S, there will be no means to refrigerate the payload from the time NASA hands over the payload to Orbital Sciences through delivery to ISS. So nothing has changed in terms of thermal control.

3. Background – This Is A Historic Opportunity
Recall that in the post-Space Shuttle era, NASA is looking to commercial (private) companies to step to the plate and provide service for cargo and crew to low Earth orbit. This is heralding in a bold new era of human spaceflight – commercial spaceflight – much like Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight in1927 launched commercial aviation.

Orbital Sciences and SpaceX are the two commercial companies right out of the gate, and both are under contract with NASA to first fly payloads to ISS, then crew. For SpaceX, it is the Dragon spacecraft atop its Falcon rocket, and which launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, next to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For Orbital Sciences, it is the Cygnus spacecraft atop its Antares rocket, launching out of the MARS – the Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Port near NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia (see http://www.marsspaceport.com/). MARS is remarkable in that it is now operational, and represents the near future – spaceports opening across the nation, indeed the world, for commercial sub-orbital and orbital flights, much like commercial airports were built world-wide in the early 20th century to service commercial aviation.

SSEP saw the end of the Shuttle era, with the first two SSEP flight experiment payloads – payloads Eagle and Intrepid – on the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-134) and on the final flight of the United States Space Shuttle program – the flight of Atlantis (STS-135). SSEP was also there to herald in this new era of on-orbit commercial spaceflight. The SSEP Mission 1 to ISS Aquarius payload was carried aboard the first SpaceX Dragon flight to berth with ISS – the very first time a commercial (private) vehicle docked with ISS. It was historic. And the Aquarius payload was the only research payload aboard Dragon. Indeed, SSEP itself is historic – the first U.S. National STEM education program that provides access to orbit for pre-college student payloads – and which is a COMMERCIAL space venture.

Orbital Sciences conducted its first successful demonstration flight for the Antares rocket on April 21, 2013. It was a launch-to-orbit flight but with no berthing with ISS. (SpaceX Dragon also had one of these demonstration flights to orbit with no berthing.) Because of this recent success, Orbital Science and NASA have rapidly scheduled the first flight for Cygnus to berth with ISS, with a launch on June 15, 2013. Given the issues with Soyuz 35S encountered by NanoRacks, NASA has placed the payload of SSEP Mission 3 experiments aboard this historic flight of Cygnus. SSEP – and the student flight teams flying experiments aboard Cygnus – are again part of history.

100 years from now, historians will point to what we are living through as the moment in history when the human race truly became a spacefaring species. So while this change in flight operations is likely frustrating, it is a remarkable teachable moment for all of us to savor.

To help see the historic import, here are SEEP National Blog posts I wrote to capture the moment when we first launched on SpaceX Dragon:
http://ssep.ncesse.org/2012/02/ssep-mission-1-student-researchers-to-be-part-of-history-aquarius-experiments-payload-officially-on-spacex-dragon-to-iss/

4. Given that the launch will now take place in the U.S., NCESSE is willing to explore with MARS staff whether they would host delegations from communities coming down for the launch. But we only want to pursue this – and this would have to be done very quickly – if communities are interested in sending delegations to the launch site. This is clearly last minute, and there are hurdles to traveling to MARS, e.g., no airport very close.

 

II. URGENT REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FR OM STUDENT FLIGHT TEAMS WITH EXPERIMENTS ABOARD CYGNUS

Given the significant change in flight operations, all student flight teams for the 7 flight experiments are requested to immediately assess impact on their flight experiment and report out answers for the following questions to your SSEP Flight Ops Manager, Stacy Hamel: stacyhamel@ncesse.org

PLEASE RESPOND TO STACY WITH YOUR ANSWERS BY MONDAY MAY 5, 2013, 5:00 PM EDT.

1. Your experiment will not get to ISS until 2.5 weeks later than planned
QUESTION: Are your fluids/solids perishable to the point that the change requires you to send a new mini-lab containing new fluids and solids? (We believe this is likely not the case, given that this was a very long duration mission to begin with – 15 weeks on ISS – and likely only experiments that could be held in stasis for a long period would have been put on Soyuz 35S, as opposed to the payload flying on SpaceX-3 in the Fall with duration on ISS of 6 weeks.

2. Crew Handling
QUESTION: given the shorter duration on orbit, do you need to change your Crew Handling directions? Recall that your Crew Handling Directions are given in days relative to Arrival (A), and Departure (D). Refer to the Mission 3 Mini-Lab Operations page.

3. Conducting Your Ground Truth Experiments
QUESTION: Does the new flight schedule adversely impact your ability to conduct your Ground Truth Experiments at the same time as your on-orbit experiment is conducted? (We beleive this is also likely not the case. Even though the new launch date may be near to, or after, the end of the academic year, on-orbit operations were going to continue through September 2013 anyway. So all teams that chose to put their experiment on Soyuz 35S must have already planned their ground truth activity throughout the summer.)

Important reminder: remember that there will be a Mission 3 Flight Operations Log on the SSEP website (we had directed you familiarize yourself with the Mission 2 Log). The Log will detail every astronaut interaction with every experiment, so each team can replicate in their ground truth what is happening with their experiment on orbit. This allows you to compare the ground truth to the flight experiment when harvesting and analyzing your samples on return to Earth, which is likely a vital activity for experiment success. NCESSE assumes that all flight teams are prepared to simultaneously conduct ground truths with their on-orbit experiments using the Log.

4. Other Adverse Considerations
QUESTION: are there any other adverse impacts on your experiment due to the flight change?

5. Is there interest in your community sending a delegation to the launch? If yes, we need to know ASAP, and this includes total in delegation, and a breakdown of attendees by SSEP student researchers, teachers/administrators, and family members.

Best wishes,
Real spaceflight all the time,

Jeff

ЦитироватьAntares Post-Flight Analysis Results - Flawless Launch Confirmed; Company Updates COTS Demonstration Mission Schedule

May 2013
...
With the Antares Test Flight successfully completed, Orbital's Antares and Cygnus teams are now focused on the Demonstration Mission to the International Space Station (ISS), the final milestone in the COTS joint program with NASA. Orbital currently expects to be ready to carry out the Demonstration Mission in August. Orbital is swapping out one first stage AJ26 main engine for another unit that is already fully tested in order to further inspect and confirm a seal is functioning properly. The company expects the engine change-out process to add about three to four weeks to the schedule. In addition, missions to the ISS must be carefully scheduled with NASA to fit into the pre-planned traffic pattern at the orbiting laboratory. A Japanese cargo ship, the HTV, is also scheduled for a mission to the ISS in August. If the HTV schedule slips, Orbital expects to be ready to go in August. If the HTV holds its schedule, Orbital's Demonstration Mission could be planned for September.
...

ЦитироватьПервый запуск частного космического корабля Cygnus сдвинут на сентябрь

01:4507.05.2013
МОСКВА, 7 мая — РИА Новости. Первый полет частного космического грузовика Cygnus, ранее планировавшийся на начало лета, состоится не ранее сентября — такое решение приняла компания-разработчик Orbital Sciences в связи с необходимостью замены одного из двигателей ракеты-носителя.

В конце апреля ракета "Антарес" после старта с космодрома на острове Уоллопс успешно вывела на орбиту масс-габаритный макет корабля Cygnus ("Лебедь"). "За две недели после успешного дебютного полета... специалисты проанализировали собранный объем данных... И пришли к выводу, что первая и вторая ступени ракеты, сбросы обтекателя и отделение полезной нагрузки прошли так, как планировалось", — говорится в сообщении компании.

Однако компания решила заменить один из двигателей первой ступени ракеты "Антарес", которая будет выводить корабль, на полностью проверенный и протестированный, чтобы избежать проблем с уплотнениями, зафиксированных ранее во время огневых испытаний. Поэтому ракета будет готова к старту не в июне-июле, а в августе.

В августе запуск корабля к МКС невозможен из-за "конфликта расписаний" с японским кораблем HTV, который отправится на орбиту в том же месяце. Если запуск HTV будет отложен, то Cygnus может полететь раньше, если нет — запуск может состояться в сентябре.

Orbital Sciences наряду с компанией SpaceX в 2008 году получила от НАСА контракты по доставке грузов на МКС — CRS-контракты (Commercial Resupply Services), на долю Orbital Sciences пришлось восемь рейсов. Конкурент компании, SpaceX, 1 марта запустила второй плановый грузовой рейс на корабле Dragon к Международной космической станции. В отличие от корабля Dragon, Cygnus не имеет возвращаемой капсулы и сможет доставлять грузы (от 2 до 2,7 тонны) только в один конец — на МКС, как это делают сейчас российские, европейские и японские грузовые корабли.

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:
 Новый экипаж МКС, возможно, встретит на орбите первый грузовик Cygnus

Участники новой экспедиции на МКС, которые отправятся в космос в конце мая, до осени встретят на станции множество космических грузовиков, в том числе, возможно, первый корабль Cygnus, созданный корпорацией Orbital Sciences.
"Мы будем принимать большое количество кораблей, (европейский грузовой корабль) ATV — в июне, "Прогресс", затем (японский корабль) HTV будет в августе стыковаться к американскому сегменту... И затем, я надеюсь, прибудет корабль, созданный корпорацией Orbital Sciences", — сказала бортинженер МКС, астронавт НАСА Карен Найберг на пресс-конференции нового экипажа в Звездном городке.
Она отметила, что прошла подготовку по обеспечению стыковки корабля Cygnus со станцией.

 http://ria.ru/science/20130508/936484034.html

ЦитироватьCOTS Demonstration Mission - Schedule Update (as of July 10, 2013)
July 2013

Orbital's Antares launch vehicle and Cygnus cargo logistics spacecraft engineering and operations teams are busy preparing for the upcoming Demonstration Mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This mission is the final milestone in the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) joint development effort with NASA. The Demonstration Mission will verify the overall capabilities of the cargo delivery system developed under the COTS effort. A successful demonstration will enable Orbital to carry out the first of eight regularly scheduled, fully operational cargo resupply missions under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program before the end of the year. Orbital's teams are now working on a schedule that would enable the company to support a launch in late August. However, the Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) range has also been tasked with supporting another high-profile NASA mission, necessitating NASA to shift the COTS Demonstration Mission schedule to mid-September.

Currently, priority on the WFF range has been given to NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Experiment Explorer (LADEE) mission, which is being launched aboard a Minotaur V rocket (which is designed, built and operated by Orbital). The LADEE mission has a launch window of September 6-10, with the target launch date being the 6th. Following the launch of the Minotaur V from Pad 0B at Wallops, Orbital is scheduled to conduct the launch of the COTS Demonstration Mission from Pad 0A during a window of September 14-19, with the target date being the 14th. Should preparations and processing for the LADEE mission encounter an unexpected delay, Orbital will continue to integrate the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft to be in a position to conduct the COTS Demonstration Mission as early as the end of August, giving NASA additional options to maximize the launch manifest from Wallops.

Orbital's teams are well along in preparations for the COTS Demonstration Mission. The two stages of the Antares rocket have been mated and the launch vehicle is in final integration and testing. Likewise, the Cygnus spacecraft is already fueled and loaded with about 1,300 lbs. of cargo (with an additional 250 lbs. of late load cargo expected). Soon, integration of the Cygnus spacecraft with the Antares rocket will begin, leading to launch readiness in late August. The Cygnus spacecraft is currently scheduled to berth with the ISS on September 22.

Цитироватьanik пишет:
September 15 - Cygnus (Orb-D) launch
September 22 - Cygnus (Orb-D) capture and berthing (to Harmony nadir) by SSRMS
October 22 - Cygnus (Orb-D) unberthing (from Harmony nadir) and releasing by SSRMS

ЦитироватьКак ожидается, ракета "Антарес" с грузовым кораблем стартует с космодрома на острове Уоллопс на восточном побережье США в 12.00 по местному времени (20.00 мск) 15 сентября. Если запуск не состоится из-за плохих погодных условий, он может быть перенесен на следующие дни (но не позже, чем на 19 сентября), при этом стартовое окно в каждые сутки будет сдвигаться на 20 минут назад.

ЦитироватьOrbital Updates Schedule for COTS Demonstration Mission
August 2013

Orbital Sciences Corporation is targeting September 15 as the first opportunity to conduct the Antares launch of our Cygnus spacecraft for the COTS Demonstration Mission to the International Space Station (ISS) originating from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.   In the event that weather or other operational factors require the date to shift, the company will seek to carry out the launch no later than September 19.  Currently, the Antares rocket for the COTS Demonstration Mission is completing testing at the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) at Wallops and will soon begin integration with the Cygnus spacecraft.  Orbital anticipates that it will roll out the Antares rocket with the integrated Cygnus spacecraft to Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on or about September 11 to be ready for a September 15 launch.

ЦитироватьОпубликовано 19.08.2013

Orbital Sciences' Cygnus cargo craft is bound for the International Space Station on a test flight. This flight will prove Cygnus' ability to rendezvous with the station and be captured by the crew on board. Once this is completed, the Cygnus will join the station's current fleet of cargo vehicles delivering supplies to the crew in space. This test flight is also the final set of milestones as part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.

http://youtu.be/2ECHJkDUy84 (http://youtu.be/2ECHJkDUy84)

ЦитироватьCOTS Demonstration Mission Schedule Update (as of August 22, 2013)
August 2013

Following a planning and coordination meeting held yesterday, August 21, Orbital and NASA have identified September 17, 2013 as the targeted launch date for the COTS Demonstration Mission to the International Space Station.  The launch of Orbital's Antares rocket carrying the company's Cygnus cargo logistics spacecraft will originate from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport launch pad 0A located at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.  Orbital's Antares team is targeting a launch time of 11:16 a.m., which is at the opening of an available 15-minute launch window.

Цитировать

Цитироватьpsloss пишет:

ЦитироватьMEDIA ADVISORY M13-139

NASA will host a televised news conference at 4 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Sept. 4, to preview the upcoming test flight of Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station.

As announced in the ISS Update hour / HTV-4 release coverage, this briefing has moved an hour earlier today to 3 pm Eastern.

Chris Bergin пишет:
If there's anyone around to cover that briefing, I'd appreciate it, as I'll be AWOL around that time.

FRR has passed if NASA tweeting out the launch date is an indication.

Цитировать

ЦитироватьProber пишет:
800kg in this test
late load test this Sat.

Test flight named GW Low.

psloss пишет:
G. David Low:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=12319.0

ЦитироватьProber пишет:
Cygnus Integration begun today.
 
No big rolls of Cheese... ;D

Launches possible 17th thru 29th.

ЦитироватьProber пишет:
"If Orbital is ready to launch in Dec. they will get the launch."
"We need a launch in Dec."
"We don't see SpaceX launch to ISS until Jan."

ЦитироватьProber пишет:
Antares rollout on the 13th.
 
Three cores ready to use.   Ord 1 parts available.

ЦитироватьCygnus cargo vehicle gearing up for debut flight
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: September 4, 2013
 
 Orbital Sciences Corp. is almost ready to send the first commercial Cygnus cargo freighter on a demonstration mission to the International Space Station, and NASA officials gave the green light Wednesday for engineers to begin final preparations for the test flight's Sept. 17 launch on an Antares rocket from the Virginia coastline.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/88571.jpg)
Artist's concept of a Cygnus spacecraft berthed with the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital Sciences

Спойлер

 
 The robotic spacecraft, named for the constellation Cygnus, is one of two privately-developed spaceships financed by NASA to restore domestic cargo transportation to the space station after the retirement of the space shuttle.
SpaceX, the start-up space transportation firm founded by Elon Musk, is NASA's other commercial cargo contractor. SpaceX completed the first test flight of its Dragon spacecraft to the space station in May 2012, and the California-based company has made two operational resupply runs to the outpost since then.
The Cygnus spacecraft gives NASA redundancy in case one of the two cargo providers encounters problems.
"The workhorses of the fleet for the U.S. segment [of the space station] will be the SpaceX vehicle and the Orbital vehicle," said Mike Suffredini, NASA's space station program manager. "We have them lined up to use them fairly regularly."
NASA and Orbital Sciences officials met Wednesday at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to review the status of preparations for the flight and discuss any concerns leading up to the launch.
According to Suffredini, officials identified no issues threatening a successful on-time launch, other than the standard processing left to go on the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft.
The departure of a Japanese H-2 Transfer Vehicle on Wednesday also cleared a hurdle before the Cygnus flight can proceed. The HTV occupied the same port on the space station needed for the Cygnus spacecraft.
Orbital's Cygnus spacecraft and SpaceX's Dragon capsule were developed in a public-private partnership with NASA. The private companies own and operate the vehicles, but NASA provided funds and expertise to guide Orbital and SpaceX engineers through development and testing.
NASA's financial agreement with Orbital Sciences is worth $288 million, part of the agency's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program.
Alan Lindenmoyer, NASA's COTS program manager, said the commercial cargo initiative started seven years ago with the intention of reducing the cost and complexity of sending supplies to the space station. Another objective was to make the resupply fleet responsive and capable of launching when needed.
"Last year, we came very close to seeing that vision become a reality with our first COTS partner SpaceX completing a demo flight to the space station and following up with operational flights to the space station," Lindenmoyer said Wednesday. "It was an amazing success, and here we are today with the opportunity to reinforce that capability with our second commercial partner ready to provide those services to the space station."
The development of the Cygnus spacecraft cost about $300 million, and the Antares rocket cost a little more to design and test, according to Frank Culbertson, executive vice president and general manager of Orbital's advanced programs group.
In an interview earlier this year, Culbertson declined to provide a specific value for the development of the Antares launcher. The new Antares launch pad, built by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, cost about $140 million.
Including investments fr om NASA, Orbital and the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Antares rocket, Cygnus spacecraft and the new launch pad collectively cost nearly $1 billion.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/88572.jpg)
File photo of the Antares test launch on April 21. Credit: Thom Baur/Orbital Sciences
 
 Outfitted with solar arrays, a propulsion system, and a laser navigation system, the Cygnus spacecraft will launch at least nine times over the next four years to resupply the space station, beginning with a Sept. 17 liftoff on a demonstration flight to prove the cargo ship can safely do its job.
Orbital officials said the Cygnus spacecraft was scheduled to be attached to the upper stage of the Antares launcher Wednesday. Final cargo loading into the Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized module is set for Saturday, followed by its enclosure inside the rocket's 12.8-foot-diameter payload fairing.
Rollout of the Antares rocket from its horizontal integration facility to the launch pad one mile away is expected Sept. 13.
Launch aboard an Antares rocket on Sept. 17 is scheduled for 11:16 a.m. EDT (1516 GMT) from launch pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
The 133-foot-tall Antares rocket sailed through a test launch in April, deploying a mock-up Cygnus spacecraft in orbit after smooth burns of its twin-engine first stage and solid-fueled second stage motor.
If all goes according to plan, the Antares will release the Cygnus spacecraft in orbit about 10 minutes after liftoff.
Then the Cygnus spacecraft will begin its own mission, exercising its software, engines, and other systems to ensure the vehicle is in top condition before it is trusted to approach within the space station's safety corridor on autopilot.
Under the control of Orbital Sciences engineers based in the company's Dulles, Va., headquarters, the Cygnus will extend its solar arrays, activate its propulsion system and start firing its thrusters to pace its approach to the International Space Station, wh ere it is due to arrive Sept. 22.
Astronaut Luca Parmitano will guide the space station's robot arm to reach out and grapple the Cygnus spacecraft as it floats just below the outpost. The robot arm will move the Cygnus to a berthing port on the space station's Harmony module, wh ere it will stay for about 30 days as the crew opens hatches and starts to unpack 1,500 pounds of food and other gear carried inside the vehicle's pressurized module, which is built by Thales Alenia Space of Italy.
Future Cygnus flights will haul more cargo, but Suffredini said NASA requested a light load on the demonstration mission - mostly low-priority supplies that officials would not miss if lost.
The astronauts will place trash and other equipment for disposal into the Cygnus compartment before the automated spacecraft's departure in October. Like the space station's Japanese, European and Russian supply vehicles, the Cygnus will burn up in the atmosphere during re-entry.
SpaceX's Dragon capsule is the only operational cargo craft capable of returning significant payloads to Earth intact.
If the flight is successful, the next Cygnus mission - tentatively set for December - will be the first of eight operational cargo deliveries under a $1.9 billion resupply contract with NASA.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьNASA Clears Cygnus For Sept. 17 ISS Launch
By Mark Carreau
Source: Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

HOUSTON — The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's HTV-4 resupply craft departed the International Space Station on Sept. 4, clearing a U.S. segment berthing port for Orbital Science Corp.'s Cygnus resupply capsule, which awaits liftoff from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia's eastern shore under the demonstration phase of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems (COTS) program.

Shortly after the HTV-4 departure, a NASA Flight Readiness Review (FRR) cleared the two-stage Antares rocket and its Cygnus supply capsule loaded with 1,540 lb. of ISS cargo for a Sept. 17 liftoff at 11:16 a.m. EDT. The Dulles, Va.-based company will have through Sept. 29 to launch the mission, under its current FAA licensing agreement, though it may have to adjust to any changes in Orbital Sciences' scheduled Sept. 6 launch of NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer mission as well as a planned late September Russian ISS crew launch.

"We had a very thorough discussion," NASA's Mike Suffredini, the ISS program manager, told a post-FRR news briefing. "We are not working any issues." Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations, chaired the FRR.

A successful launch of the Antares and subsequent berthing of the Cygnus would mark the long-sought introduction of a second NASA-nurtured U.S. space station commercial resupply capability in the aftermath of the space shuttle's 2011 retirement.

By meeting all of its COTS milestones on the demonstration flight, Orbital Sciences will be eligible to launch the first of eight resupply missions agreed to under a $1.9 billion NASA Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract awarded in December 2008.

SpaceX, NASA's first COTS partner, achieved the COTS demonstration milestone in 2012 and has carried out two CRS missions under a 12-mission, $1.6 billion NASA contract.

With a successful liftoff, Cygnus will aim for a rendezvous with the ISS on Sept. 22 and remain berthed for 30 days, said Frank Culbertson, Orbital Sciences executive vice president. The company will be ready to launch its first CRS mission within 47 days of the demonstration mission's conclusion, Culbertson said.

Astronauts Karen Nyberg of NASA and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency used the station's Canadian-built 58-ft.-long robot arm on Sept. 4 to release the departing HTV-4 at 12:20 p.m. EDT. JAXA's unpiloted HTV-4 rendezvoused with the ISS on Aug. 9, delivering 3.6 tons of pressurized and unpressurized supplies, including research gear and spare parts. The fourth of JAXA's resupply craft launched since 2009 departed the ISS filled with trash and is scheduled to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere on Sept. 7 at 2:34 a.m. EDT.

A series of instruments on the HTV-4 as well as video recording instrumentation on the ISS will observe the re-entry for a structural breakup analysis.

If successful, the Cygnus mission will satisfy the company's development responsibilities under a $288 million NASA COTS agreement reached in February 2008.

ЦитироватьCygnus Mated to Antares
September 2013

The Cygnus spacecraft that is scheduled to deliver cargo to the International Space Station following a launch currently scheduled to occur on September 17, has been mated to its Antares launch vehicle.Below are photos taken by Orbital's Dan Wiles in the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) on Wallops Island, VA at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/88617.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/88618.jpg)

ЦитироватьFairing Encapsulation Complete, Roll Out To Pad is Next
September 2013
Cygnus was encapsulated in the 9.9 meter (32.48 ft.) long Antares fairing on Sept 9, 2013 at the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) at Wallops Island Flight Facility. Technicians will perform final close outs in advance of roll out to Pad 0A currently scheduled to occur early Friday morning. Orbital's COTS Spacecraft Integration and Test Manager, Dan Wiles, snapped the photos below.
 http://www.orbital.com/Antares-Cygnus/ 

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:
Вывозят

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/378534539624071169

ЦитироватьFinal Cargo Loaded Aboard Cygnus
September 2013

The final cargo bound for the International Space Station was loaded into our Cygnus spacecraft, and technicians closed the hatch and performed final close-outs to the Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM). Orbital personnel will conduct additional close-outs to the Antares rocket and install the payload fairing in advance of roll-out to the launch pad later this week.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/320050.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/88711.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/88712.jpg)

Fairing Encapsulation Complete, Roll Out To Pad is Next
September 2013

Cygnus was encapsulated in the 9.9 meter (32.48 ft.) long Antares fairing on Sept 9, 2013 at the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) at Wallops Island Flight Facility. Technicians will perform final close outs in advance of roll out to Pad 0A currently scheduled to occur early Friday morning. Orbital's COTS Spacecraft Integration and Test Manager, Dan Wiles, snapped the photos below.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/320048.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/88713.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/88714.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/88715.jpg)

ЦитироватьOrbital Rolls Out Antares Rocket to Wallops Launch Pad for COTS Demonstration Mission to International Space Station
-- Launch of Company's First Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft Aboard Antares Rocket Targeted for Next Tuesday, September 17 --
-- COTS Demonstration Mission to Pave the Way for Regularly Scheduled ISS Supply Flights Beginning Late This Year --

(Dulles, VA 13 September 2013) – Earlier today, Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) rolled out its Antares™ rocket that will launch the company's first Cygnus™ spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) for its demonstration mission under the Commercial Orbital Transportations Services (COTS) joint development program with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Orbital is currently targeting Tuesday, September 17 for the launch during a 15-minute window from 11:16 to 11:31 a.m. (EDT). During the mission, the Antares rocket will boost the Cygnus spacecraft into a parking orbit of approximately 245 x 300 kilometers in altitude, inclined at 51.6° to the equator. Live coverage of the COTS demonstration mission will be available on NASA Television and at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.

Roll-out operations began at about 2:30 a.m., with the Antares rocket first emerging from its Horizontal Integration Facility at about 3:45 a.m. this morning. The rocket was transported about one mile to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) launch complex, known as Pad 0A, aboard the Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL), a specialized vehicle that also raised the rocket to a vertical position on the launch pad and serves as a support interface between the rocket and the launch complex's systems. By about 1:00 p.m., Antares was in a fully vertical position on the launch pad.

Following its launch by the Antares rocket, Cygnus will conduct an extensive series of in-orbit maneuvers and demonstrations over a five-day period to verify that all onboard operating systems are functioning properly and that ground controllers at Orbital's Mission Control Center (MCC), located at the company's Dulles, VA campus, are able to command, control and communicate with the spacecraft as designed and extensively rehearsed. Assuming a September 17 launch, Orbital and NASA are currently targeting the morning of Sunday, September 22, for the Cygnus rendezvous, grapple and berthing operations with the ISS at an altitude of about 415 kilometers above the Earth. On its demonstration mission, Cygnus will deliver approximately 700 kilograms of cargo, including food and clothing, to the Expedition 37 crew, which will also load Cygnus with disposal cargo prior to its departure from the station approximately 30 days later.

Mr. David W. Thompson, Orbital's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Today's roll-out of the fully integrated Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft, along with this weekend's on-pad testing and readiness review, are the final steps leading up to next week's launch of our COTS demonstration mission. This mission will mark the completion of a five-year journey that NASA and our company embarked on in 2008 to create a new medium-class rocket, a sophisticated logistics spacecraft and a world-class launch site at the Wallops Flight Facility."

Following a successful COTS demonstration mission, Orbital plans to begin regularly scheduled cargo supply missions under its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA later this year. Orbital is currently scheduled to launch the first of eight CRS missions to the ISS as early as December. All CRS flights will originate from NASA's Wallops base, which is geographically well suited for ISS missions and can also accommodate launches of scientific, defense and commercial satellites to other orbits.

ЦитироватьLaunch window of Antares and Cygnus for #cotsdemo mission on Setember 18 would be 10:50 to 11:05 am EDT

Цитироватьche wi пишет:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9Iyjtg37U4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9Iyjtg37U4)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/87064.jpg) Orbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences  (https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences)   Company statement on 24 hour delay for #Antares (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Antares&src=hash) and #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Cygnus&src=hash) launch for #cotsdemo (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cotsdemo&src=hash): http://www.orbital.com/Antares-Cygnus/  (http://t.co/smdP5zTuih)

6:48 PM - 14 Sep 13

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/87064.jpg) Orbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences  (https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences)   @AvWeekGuy (https://twitter.com/AvWeekGuy) Cable not "on" launch vehicle. Connects ground equipment with rocket. Just to clarify.

7:28 PM - 14 Sep 13

ЦитироватьAntares Launch Update
September 2013

Following a launch review meeting held earlier this morning, Orbital's Antares team has decided to postpone the launch of the COTS Demonstration mission from Wallops Island, VA by at least 24 hours.

The combination of yesterday's poor weather that delayed roll-out of the rocket to the launch pad and a technical issue that was identified during a combined systems test held last night involving communications between ground equipment and the rocket's flight computer drove the decision to delay the launch.

After comprehensive inspection and testing this morning, the problem was found and turned out to be an inoperative cable, which is being replaced.  Orbital will repeat the combined systems test later today.  Once that important test is successfully completed, the team will be able to proceed toward a September 18 launch.

The launch window on September 18 is from 10:50 to 11:05 a.m. (EDT)

ЦитироватьVictor123 пишет:

Цитироватьche wi пишет:
 

Афигеть! Мне кажется его нужно было поставить вертикально и так загружать.

Цитироватьmr-vovik пишет:
Да уж... привод (?) от бытовой дрели (2 шт - рядом со штурвалом передвижения и на стреле) тоже впечатляет!  :o

Цитировать!CARF 09/089 (KZNY A0593/13) ZNY AIRSPACE DCC ANTARES ORB D1 STATIONARY RESERVATION WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 2403N/6333W 2729N/5844W 2129N/5318W 1803N/5329W 1803N/5801W SFC-UNL WEF 1309171500-1309171615

!CARF 09/097 (KZNY A0596/13) ZNY AIRSPACE DCC ANTARES ORB D1 STATIONARY RESERVATION WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 2403N/6333W 2729N/5844W 2129N/5318W 1803N/5329W 1803N/5801W SFC-UNL WEF 1309181445-1309181545

ЦитироватьCOTS Demonstration Mission Update
September 2013

 Late Saturday night, September 14, Orbital successfully completed the Combined Systems Test (CST), an important step in the preparations for the Antares launch of the Cygnus cargo logistics spacecraft to the International Space Station for the COTS Demonstration Mission.  The CST ensures that all range assets, electrical ground service equipment, the rocket and spacecraft systems are all functioning and communicating as required during actual launch operations.  The first attempt at completing the CST on Friday was interrupted when an inoperative communications cable was discovered and later replaced.

ЦитироватьOrbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences

Launch Readiness Review complete. We are go for a Wednesday 10:50 am launch. #COTSDemo #Antares #Cygnus

16 сентября 13 в 11:02 утра

ЦитироватьOrbital Set to Launch COTS Demonstration Mission to International Space Station Tomorrow

-- Upcoming Mission Represents Final Milestone in the Development of Antares Launch Vehicle and Cygnus Cargo Logistics Spacecraft --

(Dulles, VA 17 September 2013) – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world's leading space technology companies, today announced it is prepared to launch its Antares rocket carrying the company's new Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) tomorrow morning. The launch is currently planned to take place on Wednesday, September 18, with lift-off scheduled at 10:50 a.m. (EDT) from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, VA. Antares will launch Cygnus into a targeted orbit of 245 x 300 kilometers, inclined at 51.6 degrees to the equator. Following in-orbit activation shortly after launch, Cygnus will carry out a series of tests and maneuvers over a four-day period to demonstrate its readiness to rendezvous and berth with the station, now planned for Sunday, September 22.

Спойлер

"Antares is the largest and most complex rocket Orbital has ever produced," said Mr. David W. Thompson, Orbital's President and Chief Executive Officer. "After its flawless inaugural flight in April, we have been actively preparing for this next critical, much-anticipated milestone. Likewise, Cygnus is one of the most sophisticated spacecraft Orbital has developed and built. As an integral part of the Space Station program, it meets NASA's requirements for a human-rated level of safety. Our engineering and operations teams are very excited to be on the threshold of launching and conducting this mission, which they have been working toward for the last five years."

The goal of the mission is to demonstrate the capability of Orbital's cargo transportation system to reliably deliver cargo to the ISS, which will lead to regularly scheduled missions beginning as early as December. This demonstration flight is the final milestone in Orbital's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) joint research and development initiative with NASA. Under the COTS program, which began in 2008, NASA and Orbital developed Cygnus, which meets the stringent human-rated safety requirements for ISS operations. Orbital also privately developed the Antares launch vehicle to provide low-cost, reliable access to space for medium-class payloads. Together, these elements are being used for the COTS flight demonstration of Orbital's commercial cargo supply capability to the ISS.

Pending the successful completion of the COTS program, Orbital will begin regularly scheduled cargo delivery missions to the ISS under its $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. Under the CRS contract, Orbital will deliver approximately 20,000 kilograms of net cargo to the ISS over eight missions through 2016. For these missions, NASA will manifest a variety of essential items based on ISS program needs, including food, clothing, crew supplies, spare parts and equipment, and scientific experiments.

[свернуть]

[/SIZE]

ЦитироватьМОСКВА, 18 сен — РИА Новости. Метеорологи дают благоприятный прогноз для запланированного на среду запуска ракеты "Антарес" с частным грузовым кораблем Cygnus с космодрома на острове Уоллопс на восточном побережье США.

Директор испытательных программ космодрома Сара Догерти (Sarah Daugherty) сообщила, что вероятность благоприятной для запуска погоды составляет 75%.

"С точки зрения готовности к запуску это очень хороший прогноз", — сказала она в ходе пресс-конференции.

По словам Догерти, существует небольшая вероятность появления низкой облачности, но проблем с этим не будет.

Грузовик Cygnus ("Лебедь"), разработанный Orbital Sciences в рамках контракта с НАСА по доставке грузов на МКС, станет вторым в истории частным космическим грузовиком. Первый такой грузовик — Dragon, созданный компанией SpaceX по контракту с НАСА — совершил уже два регулярных рейса к космической станции.

ЦитироватьWallops range is currently red due to low cloud conditions & something called "distance focus over pressure". Expect to clear later in count

ЦитироватьАндрей Суворов пишет:
Традиционный вопрос - кто где смотрит трансляцию?

ЦитироватьRange is now 'green' DFO condition has cleared.

Цитировать1440 GMT (10:40 a.m. EDT)
 Upper level winds are reported green. An Orbital Sciences spokesperson says the launch delay earlier this morning from 10:50 a.m. to 10:58 a.m. EDT was due to a regulator issue on the first stage fuel system.

Цитировать1446 GMT (10:46 a.m. EDT)
 T-minus 12 minutes and counting. The final prelaunch poll of the Antares team confirms all positions are ready for the final phase of the countdown.

Цитировать1448 GMT (10:48 a.m. EDT)
 T-minus 10 minutes and counting. The next step in the engine chilldown procedure is now beginning. And final vehicle arming is underway.

Цитироватьilan пишет:
На livestream уже более 5.5 тысяч "глядящих"

Цитировать1505 GMT (11:05 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 7 minutes. Motor pressure is nominal.
 

1504 GMT (11:04 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 6 minutes, 20 seconds. Attitude, power and steering all nominal aboard Antares.
 

1504 GMT (11:04 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 6 minutes. Systems are reported to be in good shape as the Castor 30A fires with 90,000 pounds of thrust.
 

1503 GMT (11:03 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 5 minutes, 35 seconds. Orbital Sciences reports a good separation of the payload fairing and ignition of the Antares second stage Castor 30A motor built by ATK for a 155-second burn to inject the rocket into orbit.
 


1502 GMT (11:02 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 4 minutes, 30 seconds. A smooth flight being reported by launch control.
 
 1502 GMT (11:02 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 4 minutes. First stage cutoff confirmed, and the Ukrainian-built stage has separated from the Antares second stage. The flight is now entering a coast phase lasting approximately 98 seconds, in which the rocket will ascend to an altitude of 189 kilometers, or 117 miles. In the last few seconds of the ballistic coast, the Antares rocket will jettison its 12.8-foot-diameter payload fairing and an interstage adaptor around the second stage motor.

 
 1501 GMT (11:01 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 3 minutes, 30 seconds. Altitude 250,000 feet, Pressure and steering are nominal.
 

1501 GMT (11:01 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 3 minutes. The rocket's guidance system continues flying the rocket on course, and all systems are reported to be in good shape. The first stage engines will shut down at T+plus 3 minutes, 53 seconds, followed a few seconds later be separation of the liquid-fueled first stage.
 

1500 GMT (11:00 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 2 minutes, 15 seconds. Altitude about 100,000 feet.
 

1500 GMT (11:00 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 2 minutes. The first stage's twin AJ26 main engines are powering the rocket into the upper atmosphere with about 750,000 pounds of thrust.
 

1459 GMT (10:59 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 90 seconds. Power is nominal, engines are nominal.
 

1459 GMT (10:59 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 60 seconds. The rocket is flying steady and accelerating near the speed of sound, sending a thunderous roar across the Eastern Shore.
 

1458 GMT (10:58 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 30 seconds. The 13-story Antares booster is rising into the sky from Wallops Island and beginning to pitch on a southeast trajectory - at an initial azimuth of 107.8 degrees - over the Atlantic Ocean.
 

1458 GMT (10:58 a.m. EDT)
 LIFTOFF of the Antares rocket, boosting 1,500 pounds of supplies on a four-day journey to the International Space Station and demonstrating the Orbital Sciences Cygnus cargo delivery spaceship.

Цитировать1508 GMT (11:08 a.m. EDT)
 Cygnus separation confirmed!
 

1507 GMT (11:07 a.m. EDT)
 Engineers report the rocket reached a good orbit.
 

1506 GMT (11:06 a.m. EDT)
 Antares is in orbit! The Castor 30A upper stage motor shut down on time and has reached orbit. Deployment of the 9,000-pound Cygnus cargo craft occurs at about T+plus 10 minutes.
 

1505 GMT (11:05 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 7 minutes, 50 seconds. Approaching 17,000 mph.
 

1505 GMT (11:05 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 7 minutes, 30 seconds. About 30 seconds remaining in the second stage burn.

Цитироватьpkl пишет:
Здорово! Особенно понравилось отображение телеметрии, когда камера сдохла - просто, наглядно и понятно!  :) Жаль, что они её с самого начала не наложили на видео.

ЦитироватьThe solar array deployment and in orbit activation are in progress. All systems nominal.

ЦитироватьАлександр Ч. пишет:
Повторяют. Показали бублик  ;)

Цитировать1520 GMT (11:20 a.m. EDT)
 Orbital Sciences says solar array deployment has begun. The Cygnus solar arrays will take between 20 and 30 minutes to unfurl.

ЦитироватьFirst motion at 1558:02.2UTC

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:
1558:02.2UTC

ЦитироватьBizonich пишет:

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:
1558:02.2UTC

Артем, не поясните? Просто сразу трудно разобраться не зная.

ЦитироватьВАШИНГТОН, 18 сентября. /Корр. ИТАР-ТАСС Иван Лебедев/. Новый американский грузовой корабль "Сигнус" /Cygnus/ сегодня впервые отправился к Международной космической станции с помощью ракеты "Антарес" /Antares/, на которой установлены российские двигатели. Запуск состоялся в 10:58 по местному времени /18:58 мск/ с космодрома НАСА на острове Уоллопс /штат Вирджиния/ у атлантического побережья США.

Космический корабль, который, как и носитель, создан корпорацией "Орбитал сайенсиз" /Orbital Sciences Corp./, доставит экипажу орбитального комплекса около 700 кг грузов, в том числе одежду, продукты, предметы первой необходимости и материалы для научных экспериментов. Как сообщил руководитель программы создания грузовых и пилотируемых коммерческих аппаратов НАСА Алан Линденмойер, "путешествие "Сигнуса" к МКС продлится четыре дня". Сначала корабль выйдет на опорную орбиту, где будет проверено его оборудование, а в воскресенье в 7:25 утра по местному времени /15:25 мск/ должна состояться его стыковка со станцией.

По словам вице-президента "Орбитал сайенсиз" Фрэнка Калбертсона, на разработку "Сигнуса" ушло четыре года. Аппарат весом 7 тонн состоит из двух модулей - служебного, в котором расположена энергетическая установка, и грузового, созданного на основе оборудования, использовавшегося ранее в американских шаттлах. НАСА уже заключило с "Орбитал сайенсиз" контракт на сумму 1,9 млрд долларов, в соответствии с которым корабль совершит до конца 2016 года восемь полетов к МКС. За это время он должен доставить туда примерно 10 тонн грузов.

Для запуска "Сигнуса" используется двухступенчатая ракета "Антарес", испытательный запуск которой был успешно осуществлен в апреле нынешнего года с космодрома на острове Уоллопс. "Это самый большой и сложный носитель, который когда-либо создавала "Орбитал сайенсиз", - отметил глава корпорации Дэвид Томпсон. Высота ракеты составляет 40 метров, диаметр - около четырех. В ее первой ступени использованы модифицированные двигатели НК-33 российского производства, разработанные самарским предприятием "СНТК имени Н. Д. Кузнецова". Их адаптацию для установки на "Антарес" осуществила американская компания "Аэроджет" /Aerojet/.

После первых семи минут полета специалисты НАСА сообщили, что первая ступень отработала нормально. Все другие системы также не вызывали нареканий. После 10 минут полета, как и было запланировано, произошло отделение корабля от второй ступени носителя.

На борту МКС в настоящее время находятся россиянин Федор Юрчихин, итальянец Лука Пармитано и американка Карен Найберг. По плану 26 сентября к ним должен присоединиться на орбите следующий экипаж длительной экспедиции на станцию в составе российских космонавтов Олега Котова и Сергея Рязанского, а также астронавта НАСА Майкла Хопкинса.

Для доставки грузов на МКС космическое ведомство США уже использует частный корабль "Дрэгон" /Dragon/, построенный калифорнийской компанией "Спейс-Экс" /SpaceX/. В отличие от "Сигнуса" он является многоразовым. "Дрэгон" уже дважды совершал стыковку со станцией, и по контракту в 1,6 млрд долларов должен отправится к ней еще 10 раз. Помимо этого, американские авиакосмические гиганты "Боинг" /Boeing/ и "Локхид-Мартин" /Lockheed Martin/ разрабатывают новый пилотируемый космический корабль и тяжелый носитель. По замыслам НАСА, они будут использованы для полетов в дальний космос, в том числе к астероидам и, возможно, на Марс.

ЦитироватьOrbital Successfully Launches Cygnus Spacecraft Aboard Antares Rocket on COTS Demonstration Mission to the International Space Station

(Dulles, VA 18 September 2013) – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world's leading space technology companies, today announced that it successfully launched its Antares rocket carrying the company's Cygnus cargo logistics spacecraft into its intended orbit. The successful launch marked the beginning of a four-day in-orbit capabilities demonstration mission that will culminate in rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station (ISS) on September 22. Cygnus will deliver approximately 1,500 lbs. of cargo and remain attached to the ISS for 30 days before departing with up to 1,750 lbs. of disposal cargo.

Lift-off of Orbital's Antares rocket occurred at approximately 10:58 a.m. EDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) located at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia. Following a 10-minute ascent, the Cygnus spacecraft was successfully deployed by the Antares upper stage and placed into its intended orbit of about 180 x 160 miles above the Earth, inclined at 51.6 degrees to the equator. Approximately 20 minutes later, Orbital's Cygnus engineers confirmed that reliable communications had been established and that the solar arrays were fully deployed, providing the necessary electrical power to command the spacecraft.

"We are very pleased with the early operations of the COTS demonstration mission, beginning with another on-the-mark launch by Antares. The Cygnus spacecraft appears to be fully healthy and operating as expected during this early phase of its mission," said Mr. David W. Thompson, Orbital's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Over the next few days, our Cygnus team, together with our NASA partners, will conduct an extensive series of in-orbit tests to verify the performance of the spacecraft before attempting the rendezvous and berthing operations with the space station. There is clearly still a lot of work in front of us, but the mission looks like it is off to a great start."

This demonstration flight is the final milestone in Orbital's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) joint research and development initiative with NASA. Under COTS, NASA and Orbital developed Cygnus, which meets the stringent human-rated safety requirements for ISS operations. Orbital privately developed the Antares launch vehicle to provide low-cost, reliable access to space for medium-class payloads. Together, these elements are being used for the demonstration flight of Orbital's commercial resupply capability to the ISS.

Pending the successful completion of the COTS program, Orbital will begin regularly scheduled cargo delivery missions to the ISS under the $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. Under the CRS contract, Orbital will deliver approximately 20,000 kilograms of cargo to the ISS over eight missions through 2016. For these missions, NASA will manifest a variety of essential items based on ISS program needs, including food, clothing, crew supplies, spare parts and equipment, and scientific experiments.

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:

ЦитироватьBizonich пишет:

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:

ЦитироватьFirst motion at 1558:02.2UTC

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=32876.msg1098457#msg1098457

Артем, не поясните? Просто сразу трудно разобраться не зная.

По нашему - КП  ;)  . То бишь время КП 19:58:02.2 ЛМВ

ЦитироватьVictor123 пишет:
Сбывается в США вьетнамский план: "по космодрому в каждом огороде к такому-то году".

ЦитироватьПетр Зайцев пишет:
А это ничего, что пуск был со старейшего американского полигона, на котором еще Фау-1 пускали? Или теперь прикажете России закрыть КапЯр?

Цитировать2145 GMT (5:45 p.m. EDT)
 A seven-minute firing of the Cygnus spacecraft's main thruster has been completed as planned, according to Orbital Sciences. This maneuver changed the freighter's velocity by nearly 100 mph and sets up the spacecraft for the first of 10 demonstration maneuvers this evening, in which the Cygnus will prove its ability to transition to free drift and abort an approach to the International Space Station.
NASA and Orbital Sciences planned 10 demo objectives on the Cygnus mission before it is approved to move toward the imaginary capture box underneath the space station, where European astronaut will grab it with the lab's Canadian robotic arm.

 
 1720 GMT (1:20 p.m. EDT)
 Frank Culbertson, vice president of advanced programs at Orbital Sciences, said the Antares rocket hit a near-perfect orbit during today's launch, releasing the Cygnus spacecraft in an orbit with a high point of 179 miles and a low point of 159 miles. The Cygnus spacecraft extended its two solar array wings shortly after deployment from the Antares solid-fueled second stage, and the freighter's propulsion system pressurized as planned to prepare the vehicle for the first in a series of engine firings to reach the International Space Station.
"The solar arrays have deployed, and we're getting good power from them," Culbertson said. "The propulsion system has activated, and we're getting good stable control of the spacecraft, pointing at the sun, and getting ready to execute the maneuvers to get to the International Space Station in four days."
The first engine burn is scheduled for approximately 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT) to adjust the Cygnus spacecraft's orbit and set it up for its chase of the space station. "This was hard," Culbertson said. "It's difficult to get a rocket off the launch pad. There are a lot of things that have to come together no matter how many times you do it."

 
 1526 GMT (11:26 a.m. EDT)
 Deployment of the Cygnus solar arrays has been completed, and the craft's propulsion system has been activated.

ЦитироватьAlex_II пишет:
А сколько кстати в Штатах космодромов вообще? Канаверал, Вандерберг, Уоллопс, Кодьяк и Кваджалейн помню. Еще есть?

ЦитироватьПетр Зайцев пишет:

ЦитироватьVictor123 пишет:
Сбывается в США вьетнамский план: "по космодрому в каждом огороде к такому-то году".

А это ничего, что пуск был со старейшего американского полигона, на котором еще Фау-1 пускали? Или теперь прикажете России закрыть КапЯр?

ЦитироватьN пишет:

ЦитироватьAlex_II пишет:
А сколько кстати в Штатах космодромов вообще? Канаверал, Вандерберг, Уоллопс, Кодьяк и Кваджалейн помню. Еще есть?

Stargazer

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:

ЦитироватьBizonich пишет:

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:
1558:02.2UTC

Артем, не поясните? Просто сразу трудно разобраться не зная.

По нашему - КП  ;)  . То бишь время КП 19:58:02.2 ЛМВ

Цитироватьilan пишет:
Сегодня по Евроньюс дикторша бодро объявляла: "Корабль доставит на орбиту 700 тонн груза."  :o   :)   :D

ЦитироватьСамара. 19 сентября. INTERFAX.RU - Коммерческий космический грузовой корабль Cygnus причалит к Международной космической станции (МКС) ориентировочно 22 сентября.

"Cygnus доставит для нужд экипажа 36/37 длительной экспедиции 700 кг груза", - говорится в пресс-релизе Объединенной двигателестроительной корпорации.

Ранее сообщалось, что 18 сентября в 18:58 мск с космодрома MARS на острове Уоллопс (штат Вирджиния) состоялся успешный старт американской ракеты-носителя среднего класса Antares. В составе первой ступени ракеты двигатели НК-33 производства самарского ОАО "Кузнецов" (входит в состав Объединенной двигателестроительной корпорации).

Цитироватьilan пишет:
Сегодня по Евроньюс дикторша бодро объявляла: "Корабль доставит на орбиту 700 тонн груза."  :o  :)  

Цитироватьtseytlin genrich пишет:
Может кто знает размах и площадь СБ на Sygnus?

ЦитироватьAlex_II пишет:

Цитироватьilan пишет:
Сегодня по Евроньюс дикторша бодро объявляла: "Корабль доставит на орбиту 700 тонн груза."

Ну вот, отвлекли нас Антаресом, а сами втихаря Си-Дрэгон запустили... А серьезно - что делать космонавтам на МКС если к ним полетит 700 тонн груза? Вешаться? Это ж не 700кг перекидать... Так в невесомости и не повеситься толком...

ЦитироватьAlex_II пишет:
Так в невесомости и не повеситься толком...

ЦитироватьAlex_II пишет:
А серьезно - что делать космонавтам на МКС если к ним полетит 700 тонн груза?

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:
Вроде еще не было. Сайт - http://cesium.agi.com/cygnus/ , где можно отслеживать положение "Сигнуса" (а ничего так )

 

Цитироватьtseytlin genrich пишет:
С трудом,но нашёл - размеры одной СБ Cygnus , состоящей из 3-х паннелей - 14,40 м х1,5 м

ЦитироватьNASA ‏@NASA  (https://twitter.com/NASA)  18 мин (https://twitter.com/NASA/status/381446410903633920)   #ISS (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ISS&src=hash) is "Go" for #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Cygnus&src=hash)' arrival Sunday. @AstroKarenN (https://twitter.com/AstroKarenN) & @astro_luca (https://twitter.com/astro_luca) will capture it with the robotic arm @ 7:25amET: http://www.nasa.gov/station (http://t.co/Xts5K0qF8o)

Цитироватьtseytlin genrich пишет:
С трудом,но нашёл - размеры одной СБ Cygnus , состоящей из 3-х паннелей - 14,40 м х1,5 м

ЦитироватьCygnus COTS Demonstration Status
September 20, 2013

Before Cygnus can rendezvous and berth with the International Space Station (ISS), it must perform several thruster firings to raise its orbit and catch up with the ISS.  Cygnus must also perform 10 maneuvers to demonstrate the safety capabilities of the Cygnus.  Once each demonstration maneuver is complete, Orbital will send a data package to NASA for review to verify that the demonstration has met its objectives.
Since the launch of the spacecraft at 10:58 a.m. on Wednesday, September 18, the Cygnus team has been busy completing the first two of 10 required in-orbit demonstrations and has successfully conducted three Delta V burns to raise Cygnus' orbit.  On Friday, September 20 , the team will conduct Delta V burn #4 to raise Cygnus' orbit to within 4 km of the ISS orbit altitude.  If needed, an additional burn may be conducted in Saturday, September 21, to "fine tune" Cygnus' orbit.
The Cygnus team is busiest on Sunday, September 22, the day  of rendezvous, grapple and berthing with the ISS. That day, the remaining eight demonstrations and a series of smaller  Approach Delta Velocity (ADV) burns will be carried out prior to capture by the  station crew and berthing with the ISS.
Once the final demonstration maneuver is deemed successful,  NASA will give approval for the approach to within 10 meters of the station  where Cygnus will be grappled by the robotic arm and guided to its berthing  port.

Cygnus In-Orbit Update
September 20

Earlier today, Cygnus successfully completed its 4th "Delta V" orbit-raising burn as the spacecraft continues to chase the International Space Station in preparation for its rendezvous and berthing on Sunday, September 22.  All systems on the Cygnus spacecraft continue to operate very well and the mission is proceeding just as planned.  Tomorrow is a relatively quiet operational day for Cygnus before the tempo of demonstrations and approach burns begins to pick up early Sunday morning when final approach to the ISS begins.

Cygnus In-Orbit Update
September 21, 2013

As of mid-day today, Cygnus continues to perform well in orbit, remaining on track for its rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station tomorrow morning.  At noon today, the Cygnus spacecraft was approximately 400 km behind and 4 km below the ISS, closing the distance between the two at a rate of about 24 km per hour.
NASA will begin live television coverage of Cygnus' approach to the station at 4:30 a.m. (EDT) and will continue through the grapple and berthing activities that are expected to last until late  morning.  NASA TV can be found at http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
There is also a press conference conference scheduled for 1:00 p.m. that will be carried live on NASA TV.

Цитироватьtseytlin genrich пишет:
Т.о. одна паннель 30х8=240 см в длину и 150 см в ширину. В трёх 720 см, те в двух СБ 1440 см, а не в одной, как я ошибочно указал ранее.

ЦитироватьМОСКВА, 22 сен — РИА Новости. Частный космический корабль Cygnus, выведенный на орбиту в среду, в воскресенье пристыкуется к Международной космической станции и доставит на ее борт около 700 килограммов груза — в основном одежду и пищу для экипажа.

Корабль Cygnus ("Лебедь"), разработанный Orbital Sciences в рамках контракта с НАСА по доставке грузов на МКС, станет вторым в истории частным космическим грузовиком. Первый такой "грузовик" — Dragon, созданный компанией SpaceX по контракту с НАСА — совершил уже два регулярных рейса к космической станции.

Ракета "Антарес" стартовала в среду вечером с космодрома на острове Уоллопс (штат Виргиния, США), корабль был успешно выведен на орбиту, раскрыл солнечные батареи, и к данному моменту уже выполнил подъем орбиты.

В ходе полета специалисты компании Orbital намерены провести несколько демонстрационных операций, чтобы проверить двигатели, бортовые компьютеры и навигационные системы до сближения с МКС. До начала сближения корабль должен будет опробовать свою систему спутниковой навигации, а также совершить маневр экстренного ухода от МКС.

Процедура сближения начнется из точки в 4 километрах под МКС. После того, как все системы корабля будут проверены и все специалисты дадут "добро", грузовик поднимется на следующую "ступеньку" — в 1,5 километра, а затем в 250 метрах ниже станции. После еще нескольких остановок Cygnus доберется до точки в 12 метрах от МКС.

Здесь европейский астронавт Лука Пармитано при содействии астронавта НАСА Карей Найберг поймает "Лебедя" манипулятором станции, а затем пристыкует его к стыковочному узлу модуля Harmony. Как ожидается, корабль будет захвачен в 11.25 по Гринвичу (15.25 мск). Корабль пробудет в составе МКС до 22 октября, когда его загрузят мусором и отстыкуют, а 24 октября он войдет в атмосферу и сгорит.

По условиям контракта с НАСА на 1,9 миллиарда долларов, заключенного в 2008 году, Orbital Sciences должна обеспечить восемь регулярных грузовых рейсов к МКС (демонстрационный полет не в счет) и доставить на станцию 20 тонн груза до 2016 года.

ЦитироватьISS crewed just notified that Cygnus rendezvous aborted. No attempt until Tuesday.  Problem with GPS.

ЦитироватьMission control has aborted today's rendezvous of the commercial Cygnus spacecraft with the space station.

ЦитироватьToday's arrival of the Cygnus spacecraft at the International Space Station has been postponed due to a problem uncovered during this morning's approach to the 450-ton complex.
The approach was aborted a few minutes ago due to an issue with the unmanned spacecraft's GPS navigation system. Mission control in Houston informed the crew of the postponement at about 3:30 a.m. EDT (0730 GMT).

The GPS navigation system is used for the freighter's "far-field" rendezvous until the Cygnus spacecraft switches to a laser-guided rendezvous sensor for the final approach within 820 feet of the complex.

The Cygnus spacecraft's guidance system uses relative GPS navigation by comparing its location with navigation data beamed to the Cygnus from the space station using a Japanese communications system.

The craft will soon pass about 2.5 miles below the space station and set up for another rendezvous attempt no earlier than Tuesday, mission control radioed the crew.

The test of the relative GPS system was one of eight demonstrations in the Cygnus flight plan for today, all of which must be satisfied before NASA gives the green light for the 17-foot-long, 10-foot-diameter spacecraft to move to a capture point about 30 feet from the outpost to be grabbed the lab's robotic arm.

No problems were reported with the Cygnus spacecraft since its Wednesday launch from Wallops Island, Va.

Officials said before launch the cargo transporter carries enough propellant to loiter in orbit for several weeks before arriving at the space station, giving ground teams at Orbital Sciences Corp.'s headquarters in Dulles, Va., time to resolve any problems.

ЦитироватьCygnus In-Orbit Update
September 22, 2013
This morning, at around 1:30 a.m. EDT, Cygnus established direct data contact with the ISS and found that some of the data received had values that it did not expect, causing Cygnus to reject the data. This mandated an interruption of the approach sequence. Orbital has subsequently found the causes of this discrepancy and is developing a software fix. The minimum turnaround time to resume the approach to the ISS following an interruption such as this is approximately 48 hours due to the orbital mechanics of the approach trajectory.

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:
cargo transporter carries enough propellant to loiter in orbit for several weeks before arriving at the space station

Цитата: "PROMT Editor"Этим утром, в пределах 1:30. EDT, Cygnus установил прямой контакт данных с ISS и нашел, что у некоторых из полученных данных были ценности, которые это не ожидало, заставляя Cygnus отклонить данные. Это передало под мандат прерывание последовательности подхода. Орбитальный впоследствии нашел причины этого несоответствия и развивает затруднительное положение программного обеспечения. Минимальное циклическое время, чтобы возобновить подход к ISS после прерывания, такого как это составляет приблизительно 48 часов из-за орбитальной механики траектории подхода

ЦитироватьSFN пишет:

Цитироватьtseytlin genrich пишет:
Т.о. одна паннель 30х8=240 см в длину и 150 см в ширину. В трёх 720 см, те в двух СБ 1440 см, а не в одной, как я ошибочно указал ранее.

На всех картинках пропорции другие. СБ складываются по длинной стороне. Вот так
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/65402716@N07/7539529612/lightbox/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/65402716@N07/7539529612/lightbox/)
В википедии рисунки где длина одной СБ явно меньше длины Лебедя
 
В конце концов, можно посмотреть фото с сайта Орбитал Сайнс ))

ЦитироватьSFN пишет:

Цитироватьtseytlin genrich пишет:
Т.о. одна паннель 30х8=240 см в длину и 150 см в ширину. В трёх 720 см, те в двух СБ 1440 см, а не в одной, как я ошибочно указал ранее.

На всех картинках пропорции другие. СБ складываются по длинной стороне. Вот так
 
В википедии рисунки где длина одной СБ явно меньше длины Лебедя
 
В конце концов, можно посмотреть фото с сайта Орбитал Сайнс ))

ЦитироватьLiss пишет:
Такими темпами он скоро наедет на стыковку "Союза". Подозреваю, что между Подлипками и Хьюстоном уже ведутся сложные переговоры на сей счет.

ЦитироватьА.Коваленко пишет:
Завтра на IMMT будет жарко.

ЦитироватьА.Коваленко пишет:
Так что грузовик может и подождать недельку. Молоко не прокиснет.

ЦитироватьА.Коваленко пишет:
Завтра на IMMT будет жарко. А в общем, демонстрационный полет грузовика с одной стороны, штатный полет пилотируемого корабля с другой. Мне кажется, значимость не соизмерима. Так что грузовик может и подождать недельку. Молоко не прокиснет.

Цитироватьdragon71 пишет:
О каком грузовике идет речь?

ЦитироватьSFN пишет:
Чтобы отставал, вестимо )

ЦитироватьCygnus In-Orbit Update
7:45 a.m. Sunday, September 22, 2013

Following the discovery of a data format discrepancy between an on-board International Space Station (ISS) navigation system and a similar system on Cygnus at around 1:30 a.m. this morning, today's rendezvous with the station was postponed. At this time, NASA and Orbital are developing a detailed plan for a second rendezvous attempt early Tuesday morning.
A software update has been developed and will be tested on a ground-based simulator during the day on Sunday. Upload to Cygnus and in-orbit testing of the software "patch" is planned for Sunday night and into Monday morning. Once this has been accomplished and verified, the current plan is for Cygnus to begin a second rendezvous approach late Monday night, with final approach to the ISS and grapple taking place early Tuesday morning. The Cygnus spacecraft remains healthy, with all major subsystems operating as expected.

ЦитироватьGPS time is specified using week numbers, however there are two forms of GPS time – one based on the original 1980 ephemeris, and another based on an ephemeris designed around 20 years later in 1999, with the difference being exactly 1024 weeks.
The 1980 GPS time uses 10-bit week numbers, while the 1999 version, which uses 13-bit week numbers, was introduced to save old hardware-based receivers that were rolling over the GPS time "week number" – a problem similar to – but not exactly – the "Y2K" issue.
The relevance to the issue between the ISS and Cygnus is in the Japanese PROX system on the ISS, which transmit GPS data (including time) from the SIGIs (Space Integrated INS [Inertial Navigation System]\GPS) units located in the JEM (Japanese Experiment Module) to Cygnus.
The Cygnus then uses that data in a Kalman filter to produce a best estimate of the ISS-relative Cygnus position.
Before Cygnus uses the GPS time data from the PROX system SIGIs however, it first compares it with the GPS time derived from its own on-board SIGI units, which are the same make and model as those used on the ISS. The issue that led to the Cygnus-ISS GPS communication issue is that Orbital interpreted that that ISS PROX system was transmitting GPS times based on the 1980 ephemeris, and thus used the 1980 ephemeris in Cygnus' on-board SIGI units too.
In reality however, the ISS PROX system uses the 1999 ephemeris for its GPS time data, which meant Cygnus could not understand the GPS time data being transmitted to it from the ISS, hence the reason for the aborted rendezvous attempt.
In all of the integrated Cygnus rendezvous tests that were performed on the ground, the incorrect 1980 ephemeris was used, and thus it was not until the JEM PROX receivers were put into the loop that the discrepancy was discovered.
While the JEM PROX system has been used on the four Japanese HTV missions flown to date, it appears that the HTV does not use the PROX-transmitted GPS week number at all, hence why the issue never surfaced before now, despite the fact that the PROX is a proven system.
SpaceX's Dragon vehicle does not use the PROX system at all, and instead performs it's Relative GPS (RGPS) navigation using the US SIGIs on the ISS, rather than the Japanese SIGIs of the PROX system.
As such, rather then being a "problem" with either Cygnus or the ISS, the issue is merely a simple case of the two vehicles trying to communicate with each other the wrong way, and thus the solution is fairly simple. The simple fix is to add "1024″ (the difference in week numbers between the 1980 and 1999 ephemeris) to the data received from the PROX system, which only requires modification of a single instruction in the Cygnus software.

ЦитироватьCygnus In-Orbit Update
Monday, September 23, 2013

This morning, Orbital and NASA together decided to postpone the approach, rendezvous, grapple and berthing operations of the Cygnus cargo logistics spacecraft with the International Space Station until after the upcoming Soyuz crew operations are complete.  The Soyuz crew is due to arrive at the ISS very late on Wednesday, September 25.  The earliest possible date for the next Cygnus approach and rendezvous with the ISS would be Saturday, September 28.  An exact schedule will be determined following the successful completion of Soyuz operations.
Over the past 24 hours, the Orbital team developed and tested a software fix for the data format mismatch that necessitated a postponement of the first rendezvous operation that was scheduled for the early morning of September 22.  However, that process, together with the impending Soyuz crew operations, resulted in a tight schedule to the point that both Orbital and NASA felt it was the right decision to postpone the Cygnus approach and rendezvous until after Soyuz operations.
"This new schedule will allow the Orbital operations team to carefully plan and be well-rested before restarting the critical final approach to the space station.  Meanwhile, Cygnus has all the resources needed to remain in orbit for an extended period of time," said Mr. Frank Culbertson, Orbital's Executive Vice President and General Manager of its Advanced Programs Group.

ЦитироватьDAP пишет: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/09/cygnus-cots-graduation-iss-berthing/) (http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/09/cygnus-cots-graduation-iss-berthing/%29). Краткое изложение: .......
б) в миссиях HTV, где используется та же система и те же блоки данные о неделях, получаемые со станции, вообще не используются при причаливании

Цитироватьanik пишет:
OSC сообщила, что стыковка будет не ранее 28 сентября.

ЦитироватьDAP пишет:
Орбитал считал, что ISS PROX использует формат 1980 года, поэтому на корабельной системе SIGI используется более старая версия данных. На самом деле, на модулях станции используется формат 1999 года, в результате чего корабельный компьютер не мог понять получаемую информацию.

До сих пор не было выявлено потому что а) в наземных тестах использовались блоки имитирующие станцию с форматом 1980 года, б) в миссиях HTV, где используется та же система и те же блоки данные о неделях, получаемые со станции, вообще не используются при причаливании, с) Dragon не использует систему PROX японского модуля (использует американскую).

ЦитироватьSalo пишет:
 http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum10/topic13209/message1130997/#message1130997

ЦитироватьLL пишет:
Вы же их в реале на небе наблюдаете. Как увидете что слились воедино - значит стыковка!  :)  

ЦитироватьSFN пишет:
Молодцы японцы: И зачем причаливание неделями тянуть?

ЦитироватьSFN пишет:
Чтобы отставал, вестимо )

ЦитироватьАлександр Р. пишет:

ЦитироватьLL пишет:
Вы же их в реале на небе наблюдаете. Как увидете что слились воедино - значит стыковка!

Хорошо, я даже потом напишу сюда. Да, вы правы. Я визуальщик по наблюдению ИСЗ и люблю наблюдать рукотворные объекты.

P.S: юмор ваш оценил.

ЦитироватьLL пишет:
Супер! Фотками побалуйте месных. До стыковки, после стыковки. Некоторые любители даже тулайны умудряются считать по наблюдением.

ЦитироватьАлександр Р. пишет:
Так я это читал, потому и спросил для уточнения, окончательно перенесли стыковку или нет. В общем все понятно. Я так понимаю из-за пуска Союза?

ЦитироватьReader пишет:
Пробки не будет в любом случае, хоть при стыковке Союза по короткой схеме, хоть по двухсуточной.
Лебедь подождёт

ЦитироватьLL пишет:
Помочь - не вопрос... Ближайшая зона видимости связки "Лебедь"-МКС начнется в 04:52 Z. Лебедь сзади по траектории градусов на 10.

ЦитироватьХВ пишет:
"Лебедь подождёт" - это и есть "орбитальная пробка". Так что пробка не БУДЕТ, а она уже есть. Лебедь с 22 сентября находится в пробке.

ЦитироватьХВ пишет:"Лебедь подождёт" - это и есть "орбитальная пробка". Так что пробка не БУДЕТ, а она уже есть. Лебедь с 22 сентября находится в пробке.

ЦитироватьChris Bergin пишет:
PAO Josh via his Soyuz coverage notes Sunday morning is now the NET. MMTs to decide if it's possible.

ЦитироватьNASA has approved the Cygnus spacecraft for a re-rendezvous with the International Space Station following an extended free flight to allow teams to solve a GPS data discrepancy issue that was observed during the first rendezvous attempt.

Спойлер

"The Cygnus spacecraft remains healthy in-orbit, with all major onboard systems performing as expected. Over the past several days, the Cygnus engineering team has developed, validated and uploaded the one-line software "patch" that resolved the GPS data roll-over discrepancy that was identified during the initial approach to the ISS last Saturday," Orbital Sciences said in a statement.

Correcting the data discrepancy (explained in detail in our last mission upd ate below) was a simple task and only required one simple modification of the software.

This patch was designed last weekend and Orbital ran a series of regression tests and simulations to verify that the patch solved the problem and did not have any unexpected adverse effects. Meanwhile, Cygnus was placed in an orbit about 4 Kilometers higher than ISS to allow the Station to move away - giving the Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft sufficient space to complete its Rendezvous & Docking early on Thursday.

Additionally, Cygnus had to be moved to large distance to ISS because the implementation of the software patch required a reset of the flight computers on the spacecraft. NASA & Orbital wanted to perform that rese t at a great distance to ISS to be on the safe side. The patch was uplinked to Cygnus Wednesday night and a series of verifications were made by Orbital's Mission Control Team in Dulles.

[свернуть]

With the software modification complete, Cygnus executed an engine burn to enter a parking orbit, flying 2,400 Kilometers behind ISS - waiting for the green light to begin its rendezvous early on Sunday. Late on Thursday, Cygnus performed the first of a series of Delta-v burns to modify its orbit in preparation for the re-rendezvous.

Also, the spacecraft repeated its Active Abort Demonstration that had already been completed shortly after orbital insertion as part of the Orb-D demonstrations. Repeating the test was not a requirement by NASA, but was used to verify that the software patch did not have any effects on the vehicle's control system.

The approval for the rendezvous was given on Friday when the International Space Station Mission Management Team met to discuss the status of the Cygnus spacecraft and assessed the software patch that was implemented. No issues were noted and Orbital Sciences is now pressing ahead with the next rendezvous attempt. "Program personnel are well-rested and fully prepared for Sunday's approach and rendezvous," Orbital noted.

The current timeline shows the first Cygnus rendezvous burn on Sunday morning just after 7:00 UTC ahead of Capture at 11:15 UTC. A final timeline will be posted here tomorrow.

ЦитироватьSeptember 29, Sunday
    4:30 a.m. - Coverage of Orbital Sciences/Cygnus Cargo Ship Rendezvous, Grapple and Berthing to the ISS (Grapple scheduled at 7:15 a.m. ET) - JSC (All Channels)
    1 p.m. - Orbital Sciences/Cygnus Post-Berthing News Conference - JSC/Dulles, Va. (All Channels)

ЦитироватьCygnus launch cargo
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: September 14, 2013

NOTE: On its first test flight to the International Space Station, the Cygnus spacecraft will launch with 1,543, or 700 kilograms, pounds of cargo and supplies. The mission is considered a demonstration flight by NASA, and none of the cargo is essential.

Launch Cargo    1,543 pounds
Total cargo (1,543 pounds)

 M-02 bag, Crew Provisions/CCP (162.19 pounds)

 M-02 bag, OFK/ODF/MISC HDWR (145.68 pounds)

 M-01 bag, Crew Provisions/Camera Light Pan-Tilt Assembly Box (179.08 pounds)

 M-01 bag, Crew Provisions (122.73 pounds)

 M-02 bag, Hygiene Towels/Nitrile Gloves (116.36 pounds)

 M-02 bag, OFK/BOBs (199.01 pounds)

 M-02 bag, Printer and PS120 Hardware (188.91 pounds)

 M-02 bag, Bag BOBs (13) (158.29 pounds)

 M-02 bag, Bag BOBs (12) (154.48 pounds)

 M-02 bag, BOBs (12) (116.03 pounds)

Data source: Orbital Sciences Corp.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/87064.jpg) Orbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences  (https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Cygnus&src=hash) spacecraft performing well. On track for rendezvous and capture tomorrow a.m. Currently 198 km behind #ISS (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ISS&src=hash), closing at 25 kph

 3:47 AM - 29 Sep 13

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/87064.jpg) Orbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences  (https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences) Current schedule for #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Cygnus&src=hash) capture by #ISS (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ISS&src=hash) robotic arm, assuming "nominal" operations (yes, we do love that word!) is approx. 7:15 am EDT

  3:52 AM - 29 Sep 13

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/87064.jpg) Orbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences  (https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences)   The software "patch" that we uploaded to #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Cygnus&src=hash) has worked. Good relative GPS solution established with #ISS (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ISS&src=hash). #cotsdemo (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cotsdemo&src=hash) doing well.

  4:16 AM - 29 Sep 13

Цитировать

ЦитироватьTargeteer пишет Today at 03:11 AM:
The SSRMS is inspecting the Common berthing mechanism

Targeteer пишет Today at 03:20 AM:
inspection is complete

Цитировать

Цитироватьpsloss пишет:
 Today at 06:26 AM
Karen Nyberg just called down a good morning and CapCom (sounds like Cady Coleman to me) says everything looks good, on track for capture. Nyberg said they'll talk again in about an hour and a half.

dsmillman пишет:
 Today at 06:26 AM
MCC-H just told Karen Nyberg that everything is looking good and they are on track for capture this morning. They will speak again during the morning DPC.

Цитировать

Цитировать

Цитироватьpsloss пишет:
 Today at 07:49 AM
Morning DPC started...Cygnus about 7 km behind and a few minutes from ADV-2 burn (which would establish the 1.4 km 'racetrack' below Station).

(While continuing with DPC, Cady Coleman noted that the ADV-2 burn was in progress...may be complete before the end of the Houston part of the DPC.)

dsmillman пишет:
 Today at 07:51 AM
ADV-2 burn underway.

psloss пишет:
 Today at 08:03 AM
Sounds like it was only Houston for the DPC...maneuvering to capture attitude early (no exercise beginning at 0808 GMT) and another note that the current predicted capture time would be 2 seconds before sunset, so there were extra notes for lighting conditions. (This might become somewhat moot if things run a little long...)

ЦитироватьOrbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences
Cygnus is currently about 6 km behind and 1.4 km below the ISS

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/87064.jpg) Orbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences  (https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences)   Next major event for #cotsdemo (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cotsdemo&src=hash) mission is the ADV3 burn at 4:34 which brings #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Cygnus&src=hash) much closer to the station

  11:23 AM - 29 Sep 13

ЦитироватьCygnus has accomplished 6 of the 10 demonstrations required to approach and berth with the ISS

ЦитироватьАртём Жаров пишет:
 http://www.spaceflight101.com/antares---cygnus-orb-d-mission-updates.html

 

ЦитироватьThe thruster burn is successfully completed

ЦитироватьSFN пишет:
Эту?
 

ЦитироватьLL пишет:
Не протухли?

ЦитироватьCygnus retreat demonstration successfully completed.  Demonstration 8 of 10 accomplished.

Цитироватьmefisto_x пишет:
что то у них лебедь похожий на утку  :)

Цитироватьmefisto_x пишет:
что то у них лебедь похожий на утку  :)

ЦитироватьМОСКВА, 29 сен — РИА Новости. Европейский астронавт Лука Пармитано и его коллега из НАСА Карен Найберг успешно захватили манипулятором Международной космической станции (МКС) частный космический грузовик Cygnus — примерно через два часа корабль, совершающий свой первый полет, будет пристыкован к станции. Трансляция процедуры захвата и стыковки идет на сайте НАСА.

Манипулятор захватил корабль за специальные приспособления на его "днище" в 15.01 мск, примерно на 15 минут раньше зафиксированного. После захвата 17-метровый манипулятор Canadarm должен подтянуть корабль к станции, чтобы окончательно пристыковать его к модулю Harmony.

Стыковка корабля, запущенного еще 18 сентября, была задержана примерно на неделю из-за сбоя в программном обеспечении, и необходимости уступить очередь пилотируемому кораблю "Союз".

Cygnus ("Лебедь"), разработанный Orbital Sciences в рамках контракта с НАСА по доставке грузов на МКС, стал вторым в истории частным космическим грузовиком после корабля Dragon, созданного SpaceX. "Лебедь" доставит на МКС около 600 килограммов груза — в основном одежду и еду для астронавтов.

Сейчас "Лебедь" привез на МКС около 600 килограммов груза — в основном одежду и еду для астронавтов. Корабль пробудет в составе МКС около месяца, затем его загрузят мусором и отстыкуют, после чего он войдет в атмосферу и сгорит.

ЦитироватьSecond Stage Capture! 12:44 UTC - Cygnus now installed on the Harmony Module. Next, 16 bolts will be driven to form a hard mate.

ЦитироватьNot quite finalized quite yet... tightening of Cygnus bolts for the next 30 min. or so.

ЦитироватьЧастный космический грузовик Cygnus окончательно пристыкован к "нижнему" стыковочному узлу модуля Harmony Международной космической станции. Трансляция процедуры захвата и стыковки идет на сайте НАСА.

К настоящему времени корабль закреплен на все 16 болтов стыковочного узла.

Ранее с одним из двигателей 17-метрового манипулятор Canadarm во время захвата корабля Cygnus произошел сбой — он "забуксовал", однако специалисты разрешили эту проблему.

Астронавты планируют открыть люк "гостя" в понедельник, около 13.55 мск. "Лебедь" привез на МКС около 600 килограммов груза — в основном одежду и еду для астронавтов, а также оборудование для биологических и химических экспериментов, подготовленных американскими школьниками.

ЦитироватьСтарый пишет:
Тратить ракету и корабль на 600 кг груза? Так им быстро станет не до космонавтики...
Может сгонять один Шаттл уже и дешевле чем десяток Сигнусов или Драконов?

ЦитироватьРанее с одним из двигателей 17-метрового манипулятор Canadarm во время захвата корабля Cygnus произошел сбой — он "забуксовал", однако специалисты разрешили эту проблему.
 

Цитировать-- Rendezvous and Berthing Operations of Company's First Cargo Logistics Spacecraft Proceeded Smoothly --
-- Cargo Unloading to Begin Tomorrow with 30-Day Stay at Station Planned --

(Dulles, VA 29 September 2013) – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world's leading space technology companies, today announced that its Cygnus™ cargo logistics spacecraft successfully completed its rendezvous and approach maneuvers with the International Space Station (ISS) and was grappled and berthed with the station by the Expedition 37 astronaut crew earlier this morning. After Cygnus was launched into orbit by Orbital's Antares rocket on Wednesday, September 18 fr om NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, it completed an extensive series of in-orbit tests and orbit-raising maneuvers demonstrating its readiness to operate in close proximity to the ISS. Final approach to the station began at about 3:00 a.m. (EDT) this morning, culminating with the station's robotic arm grappling the spacecraft at 7:00 a.m. when it was about 10 meters away. Cygnus was then guided to its berthing port on the nadir side of the ISS' Harmony module wh ere its installation was completed just before 8:45 a.m.

"This entire COTS demonstration mission has been executed in textbook fashion by the joint NASA and Orbital teams, from Antares' launch 10 days ago to Cygnus' berthing at the station this morning," said Mr. David W. Thompson, Orbital's President and Chief Executive Officer. "A tremendous amount of hard work has gone into this five-year effort from our launch vehicle and spacecraft teams, and we are all exceptionally proud of their accomplishments. We look forward to moving ahead with regularly scheduled ISS cargo delivery missions for NASA as early as the end of the year."

Orbital and NASA cooperatively developed the Cygnus cargo spacecraft under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program that started in 2008. For the COTS demonstration mission, Cygnus carried a relatively light load of cargo to the ISS. The ISS crew will start unpacking the 700 kg of cargo and supplies tomorrow, which includes food, clothing and experimental equipment. In early October, they will begin filling the cargo module with up to 800 kg of disposal cargo prior to its departure. For future missions, Cygnus has a total cargo up-mass capacity of 2,000 kg in its standard configuration, expanding to 2,700 kg in its enhanced design for later missions. This first Cygnus will remain at the ISS for 30 days before departing for a destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean in late October.

———
Orbital Sciences Corporation | September 29, 2013

ЦитироватьLL пишет:
Чтобы мягче стыковалось:



 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfpabEcQlDA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfpabEcQlDA)

Конец очередного "дня" в 16:44 мск.

ЦитироватьLL пишет:
Может как-то нелинейно надо мыслить?

ЦитироватьReader пишет:
Поздравляю коллег из OSC  :)  

ЦитироватьLanista пишет:
Люки открыли?

ЦитироватьCygnus In-Orbit Update
Sunday, September 29, 2013

The Cygnus spacecraft is now fully berthed at the ISS following the rendezvous, approach and grapple sequence flawlessly performed by the NASA and Orbital teams.  The opening of the hatch and cargo retrieval is expected to begin tomorrow, September 30.  Cygnus is scheduled to remain berthed at the ISS until the end of October, when it will depart carrying disposal cargo away from the station.  A successful conclusion to this COTS demonstration mission will pave the way for Orbital to begin regularly scheduled cargo resupply missions to the ISS under the CRS contract as early as December.
       Frank Culbertson, the company's Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Programs Group, said, "When Orbital first launched the revolutionary Pegasus rocket over 20 years ago, which was the world's first privately developed space launch vehicle, someone remarked 'We said we would do it and we did.' I want to echo those comments today.  The COTS and CRS system has brought together the full capabilities of Orbital.  From the Antares rocket development, integration, test and operations group, to the similar teams on the Cygnus program, to the many other employees in the company who contributed their expertise, they all had a hand in making today one of the most memorable in company history.  Congratulations to one and all."

ЦитироватьLanista пишет:
Люки открыли?

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:
fuel cross feeding - obazatelno!

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:
я сначала днепром подумал. затем - то гда это госуарственный частично проект. надо чисто частный как фалькон.

ЦитироватьBack-stabber пишет:

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:
fuel cross feeding - obazatelno!

Накой? Отдельно..

ЦитироватьLRV_75 пишет:
Молодцы! Честно говоря я был более пессимистично настроен в плане перспектив развития современной космонавтики, но Орбитал и СпейсХ заставляют задуматься и вселяют позитив

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:

ЦитироватьBack-stabber пишет:

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:
fuel cross feeding - obazatelno!

Накой? Отдельно..

на KSP - кросфидинг даёт выигрыш. плюз сказано - фалькон единственная ракета в реале его использующая.

кстати знатоков хотел спросит; -- а как реализовано? ТНА мног энергии обирает, потери большие?

Цитироватьpkl пишет:
ну, сделали "прогресс" ещё один. И, в сравнении с нашим и европейским, весьма отстойный.

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:
люз сказано - фалькон единственная ракета в реале его использующая.

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:
каким может быть российский частный грузовик? есть ли такая тема уже?

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:
1) конкуренция роскосмосу, чтоб не ломимли 60 млн за место.

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:
2) западные частники отправят на свлку наши прогрессы с союзами, поэтому надо заранее что нибудь в запасе иметь.

Цитировать3) с новыми материалами, сапр, опытом ракетчиков - корабль будет оптимальнее. на западе пошли так - кк не обязательно автономный сложный, на случай войны. тупо кастрюлька, которая сама пристыковаться не может.

Цитировать4) частникам придётся привлекать кадры, следовательно выше з/п. кадры сохраним и создадим новые. это в роскосмосе и байконуре - клепают союзы и протоны за 5 копеек, куда денутся с подводной лодки.

ЦитироватьСергио пишет:
захват - стрелой. бцвм и ОС - содрать с чибиса. кастрыля одноразовая. пуск - не знаю чем.

главное - не усложнять, keep it simple, stupid - KISS. они з не делают с прицелом на автономую стыковку, и тд. прилитела кастрюля, выгрузилась, упала в океан.

ЦитироватьLRV_75 пишет:
Молодцы! Честно говоря я был более пессимистично настроен в плане перспектив развития современной космонавтики, но Орбитал и СпейсХ заставляют задуматься и вселяют позитив

ЦитироватьШтуцер пишет:
Дарю решение проблемы: надо немного нарастить манипулятор.
Захватывать прямо с земли.

ЦитироватьШтуцер пишет:
Дарю решение проблемы: надо немного нарастить манипулятор.
Захватывать прямо с земли.

ЦитироватьNASA Approves Orbital Sciences For ISS Commercial Resupply Missions
By Mark Carreau
Source: Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

October 01, 2013

HOUSTON — Orbital Sciences has satisfied its Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems program requirements with a successful rendezvous of the Cygnus resupply capsule with the International Space Station and is cleared to march ahead with plans to initiate a $1.9 billion, eight-flight Commercial Resupply Services contract in December, Alan Lindenmoyer, NASA's COTS program manager, said Sept. 29.

The first CRS flight is tentatively scheduled to lift off fr om the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia on Dec. 8.

For its part, Orbital plans to step up its mass per mission to 1.5-2 tons on the next three CRS missions, then 2.5 tons on the final deliveries. The Dulles, Va.-based company also plans to reduce the two to three-day baseline rendezvous trajectory to one day over the early CRS flights, said Frank Culbertson, Orbital's executive vice president.

The two men spoke after the unpiloted Cygnus shook off a GPS navigation software mismatch issue with the space station that prevented a planned Sept. 22 rendezvous. The commercial freighter approached ahead of schedule on Sept. 29 for a robot arm capture by ISS astronauts Luca Parmitano, of the European Space Agency, and Karen Nyberg, of NASA, at 7 a.m. EDT. They completed the operation by commanding the Canadian robot arm to place Cygnus and its 1,543-lb. non-critical cargo of crew provisions and science equipment at the U.S. segment Harmony berthing port at 8:44 a.m. EDT, again ahead of schedule.

"They are good to go," Lindenmoyer said. "The station has a spot ready for them in December. We're getting the cargo ready to ship out. They've demonstrated a system that certainly can deliver. There will be no delays in proceeding toward the next mission."

The supply ship, which was named for former NASA astronaut and Orbital executive G. David Low, was opened by the ISS crew early Sept. 30 (about 6 a.m. EDT). Cygnus will remain berthed until Oct. 22, and then depart with trash for a destructive re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

Cygnus was launched atop an Orbital two-stage Antares rocket on Sept. 18 on the final demonstration mission flown under the company's $288 million February 2008 COTS program agreement, a qualifier to begin the CRS contract activities agreed to 10 months later, in December 2008.

Orbital now joins SpaceX, of Hawthorne, Calif., in NASA's CRS stable to take on an ISS resupply role filled by NASA's shuttle fleet until the winged orbiters were retired in 2011.

The original rendezvous schedule was postponed by 24 hr. and then until Sept. 29 to await the Sept. 25 launch and docking of Russia's Soyuz TMA-10M with three new ISS crewmembers.

During the delay, Orbital fashioned a one-line software change that was uplinked and verified, allowing Cygnus to march through the final milestones during the last 10 hr. of the rendezvous. They included a successful command exchange from the ISS crew in which Cygnus was instructed to advance from a 250-meter hold point below the station to a separation of 230 meters, wh ere it held for several minutes.

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ЦитироватьCygnus Status Update | October 7, 2013The Expedition 37 crew aboard the International Space Station has completed unloading the cargo from the Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) Cygnus and has loaded the first layer of waste for disposal. The crew will be working this week loading the second layer of trash. The third layer is expected to be loaded the week of 10/14, followed by PCM close out. Unberthing from the station is expected on October 22, with reentry into Earth's atmosphere on October 24.

ЦитироватьАмериканский частный космический грузовой корабль Cygnus будет 22 октября отстыкован от Международной космической станции и в тот же день, не долетев до Земли, сгорит в плотных слоях атмосферы, сообщил РИА Новости представитель НАСА в российском Центре управления полетами (ЦУП).

"Корабль будет отстыкован от станции с помощью манипулятора Canadarm, которым будут управлять астронавт НАСА Карен Найберг и астронавт Европейского космического агентства (ЕКА) Лука Пармитано. Расчетное время начала отстыковки — 11.30 мск", — сказал собеседник агентства.

ЦитироватьOrbital Moves Cygnus Re-entry Up a Day, Prepares for Another Cargo Run in December
By Dan Leone | Oct. 16, 2013

WASHINGTON — Orbital Sciences Corp. is planning to end its first cargo delivery mission to the international space station a little early, with the company's now-trash-filled Cygnus spacecraft set for destructive re-entry over the Pacific Ocean Oct. 23, a spokesman said.

"It used to be Oct. 24, but in looking at the orbital mechanics of release, the team updated their burn schedule and Oct. 24 became Oct. 23," Orbital spokesman Barron Beneski said in a phone interview Oct. 16.

Space station crew members will close Cygnus' hatch Oct. 21. Then, around 5 a.m. Eastern time the next day, the craft will separate from the station's Harmony node and maneuver away from the outpost to perform its deorbit burn.

Cygnus launched Sept. 18 from the state-run Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va. The expendable cargo ship arrived at the station Sept. 29, a few days later than expected after a communications glitch and the arrival of new crew members aboard a Russian-launched Soyuz spacecraft forced Cygnus into a holding pattern.
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ЦитироватьThe first Cygnus to visit the International Space Station has departed the orbiting outpost on Tuesday after completing a successful demonstration mission. Cygnus is now getting ready for its final day in orbit followed by destructive re-entry to finish its flight.

The crew members got started early on Tuesday to finish the vestibule outfitting task they had started on Monday. The USOS crew members configured the vestibule for unberthing by closing Cygnus' hatch, removing power and data jumpers and covers, installing four Controller Panel Assemblies and putting the Central Disk Cover in place

Once vestibule outfitting was complete, the crew members closed the Node-2 nadir hatch and began leak checks in the vestibule between the two spacecraft to make sure both hatches were holding pressure.

Once leak checks were complete, the crew members depressurized the vestibule and started the unberthing operation that began with the release of the 16 Common Berthing Mechanism bolts that held Cygnus in place. After driving the bolts in four groups of four, the crew deployed capture latches to unberth the spacecraft. Unberthing was confirmed at 10:05 UTC on Tuesday. Using Canadarm2, Cygnus was then pulled free of any structure and the CBM pedestals were closed.

Over the course of about one hour, Cygnus was carefully moved to its Release Position about 10 meters fr om the Station. Once in the correct position, Cygnus was reconfigured for release. The spacecraft started acquiring star tracker data for attitude and navigation. Also, the spacecraft was transitioned from Canadarm to internal power supply and its control system was switched to Free Drift to prevent any thruster firings during the release sequence.

At the Cupola Robotics Workstation, Luca Parmitano and Karen Nyberg performed their final set of reconfigurations to set up the robotic arm for the release sequence. They had to wait for proper lighting conditions for the release before being given the final go-ahead from Mission Control.

For release, capture latches and snares of the Canadarm2 Latching End Effector were opened and the LEE was pulled away from the Cygnus spacecraft. Release occurred on time at 11:31 UTC while the Station was flying over the Atlantic just off the coast of South America.

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When Canadarm2 was clear of the vehicle and had pulled back to a safe distance of 1.5 meters, the crew members issued an Abort Command to Cygnus via the Hardware Command Panel to initiate the departure – this Abort Command is part of the nominal departure sequence for Cygnus that is designed differently than the departure of other visiting vehicles.

After processing the Abort Command, Cygnus fired its Reaction Control System Engines to perform a posigrade burn to start its departure. The spacecraft pulled away in front of the Space Station and exited the Keep Out Sphere about six minutes after release and conducted its Departure Burn to increase its opening rate – setting the vehicle up to fly in front of ISS before allowing the Station to pass underneath it later on Tuesday.

Following its Departure Burn, Cygnus transitioned to Free Flight Mode – pointing its solar panels to the sun and reconfiguring its navigation system. After passing above ISS, Cygnus performs two engine burns to place itself in a lower orbit later on Tuesday to get ready for its final deorbit burn on Wednesday.

With Cygnus in Free Flight, OSC  Mission Control Dulles once again has full authority over their spacecraft, guiding it through its final day in orbit. On Wednesday at 13:06 UTC, Cygnus performs another burn to lower its orbit to set the stage for the Deorbit Burn that will occur at 17:41 UTC. Using its BT-4 engine, Cygnus will slow down just enough to intercept the atmosphere at a pre-determined location to start its fiery trip back to Earth.

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Re-Entry is expected at 18:18 UTC on Wednesday. Re-Entry targets a location over the Pacific Ocean known as Spacecraft Cemetery wh ere surviving vehicle components can splash down far away from any populated areas. When hitting the dense atmosphere, Cygnus will break-up and burn up with loaded trash to put a fiery end to its mission.

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October 22, 2013

ЦитироватьCygnus has ended its very successful demonstration flight to the International Space Station on Wednesday by making a destructive re-entry over the Pacific Ocean. The spacecraft had been released by the Station's robotic arm on Tuesday after a three-week stay at the complex to spend its final day in free flight, lowering its orbit for the final deorbit burn that took place at 17:41 UTC on Wednesday.

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Cygnus has performed a nearly flawless demonstration flight, launching atop an Antares launch vehicle from the Wallops Flight Facility on September 18. The spacecraft had a packed schedule, filled with a number of demonstration objectives that needed to be fulfilled before the spacecraft could get close to the Space Station. The first set of demonstrations took place on Flight Day 1 as Cygnus was put through a range of tests of its navigation and control system.

The vehicle also started the climb to the Space Station's orbit to get ready for its rendezvous that was originally planned to take place on September 22, but had to be aborted when the flight computer aboard Cygnus could not make sense of GPS position data sent by the Space Station. Orbital Sciences mission controllers developed a fix while Cygnus spent some additional time in free flight, making room for incoming Soyuz traffic that delivered the Expedition 37/38 crew to ISS in late September. Finally, on September 28, Cygnus once again started closing in for its rendezvous and capture.

This time, no unexpected problems occurred and Cygnus passed all of its mandatory objectives ahead of being captured by the Space Station's robotic arm. The G. David Low spacecraft was berthed later that day and had its hatch opened by the USOS crew one day later, giving the Space Station crew the opportunity to take a look inside the new vehicle.

Over the course of three weeks, the crew in orbit was busy moving delivered items to the Station and loading Cygnus with trash and other items for disposal. This week, Cygnus was once again buttoned up and unberthed from the Station. Release occurred on Tuesday and Cygnus set sail for a short 31-hour flight toward its big finale. Two orbit adjustments took place later on Tuesday followed by another orbit lowering maneuver on Wednesday to put Cygnus into a position for its final deorbit burn.

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Using its BT-4 engine, Cygnus performed its retrograde deorbit burn at about 17:41 UTC on Wednesday, slowing down just enough to intercept the dense atmosphere. At 18:16 UTC, the spacecraft hit the dense layers of the atmosphere and started feeling the effects of re-entry. About three minutes after Entry Interface, Mission Control Dulles received the final telemetry signals from the vehicle as it broke up above the Pacific Ocean. Surviving fragments splashed down in the Pacific, west of New Zealand, at a safe distance to populated land masses.

The Orb-D mission had a duration of 35 days, 3 hours and 18 minutes from launch through Entry Interface and marked a huge success for Orbital Sciences and NASA's COTS program that is close to its completion. A final review of the mission and the performance of the Cygnus spacecraft will be performed in the coming weeks, before Orbital Sciences officially transitions to the Commercial Resupply Services Program – signaling the beginning of regular Cygnus missions to ISS.

Preparations for the next Cygnus mission, Orb-1, are already in full swing at Wallops. The Antares launch vehicle for that mission is already at the Horizontal Integration Facility, undergoing launch preparations. The Pressurized Cargo Module is also at the launch site and is in the process of being loaded with cargo for its mission. On Wednesday, as one Cygnus mission ended, the Service Module for the next started its road trip from Orbital's Facility to the launch site for final processing and integration with its cargo module. The launch of the Orb-1 mission is scheduled for December 15-21, 2013 for an arrival at ISS just before Christmas.

ЦитироватьOrbital launched its Cygnus cargo spacecraft on September 18, 2013 aboard its Antares rocket from Wallops Island Virginia. On September 29 Cygnus rendezvoused and docked with e International Space Station carrying approximately 700 kg of cargo to demonstrate the commercial cargo resupply system orbital developed with NASA. On October 22, 2103 Cygnus departed from the station loaded with disposal cargo from the station and reentered the atmosphere the following day. The successful completion of this demonstration mission will allow Orbital to begin regularly scheduled cargo missions to the space station, the first of which is slated to occur later this year.