Cygnus OA-8 (CRS-8 ) - Antares-230 - MARS LP-0A - 12.11.1017 12:19 UTC

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0:44 ÷ 1:15

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

NASA Johnson

Опубликовано: 10 нояб. 2017 г.

(3:13)

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NASA HQ PHOTO‏Подлинная учетная запись @nasahqphoto 9 мин. назад

Good morning! Antares rocket and the "SS Gene Cernan" @OrbitalATK #Cygnus cargo vehicle stand ready to resupply the @Space_Station: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm8Mbnfd 

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NASA Silicon Valley Podcast - Episode 66 - Stevan Spremo

NASA's Ames Research Center

Опубликовано: 7 нояб. 2017 г.

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

(28:26)

Transcript: https://www.nasa.gov/ames/nisv-podcas...

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/10/sunrise-at-the-launch-pad/

Rob Garner
Posted on November 10, 2017

Sunrise at the Launch Pad

Спойлер

The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft aboard, is seen on launch Pad-0A, Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's eighth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black


Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black

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NASA Wallops @NASA_Wallops 1 ч. назад

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Orbital ATK‏ @OrbitalATK 10 мин. назад

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/10/weather-forecast-excellent-for-tomorrows-launch/

Rob Garner
Posted on November 10, 2017

Weather Forecast 'Excellent' for Tomorrow's Launch

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

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The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft aboard, is seen on launch Pad-0A, Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's eighth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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

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

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https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/09/photos-rollout-of-orbital-atks-antares-rocket/

Photos: Rollout of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket
November 9, 2017 Stephen Clark

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

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

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

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

The Cygnus spacecraft atop the rocket will ferry more than three tons of supplies, food and experiments to the space station's six-person crew. Liftoff is set for Saturday at 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT).
Read our full story for details on the mission.

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


Credit: NASA/Patrick Black


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: Orbital ATK


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: Orbital ATK


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Terry Zaperach


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Credit: Orbital ATK

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Началась обзорная пресс-конференция

Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 13 мин. назад

Getting ready for the L-1 press conference. Tune in to @NASA TV now to watch live! http://www.nasa.gov/ntv 

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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 2 мин. назад

Fun fact: #Antares liftoff will occur about 3.5 seconds after engine ignition

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И о погоде

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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 2 мин. назад

#Cygnus will stay at @Space_Station until Dec. 4. After Cygnus unberths, it will be used to simulate a commercial crew capsule at the station

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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 49 сек. назад

#Cygnus is carrying various crew care packages from family members. #OA8 will also bring fresh fruits & vegetables to astronauts on board @Space_Station

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Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 45 мин. назад

Good morning fr om NASA Wallops, wh ere a pre-launch press conference for the #OA8 mission will be starting in a few minutes on NASA TV.

38 мин. назад

Dan Hartman, NASA: on track for #OA8 launch Saturday, with capture and berthing of the Cygnus at ISS on Monday.

37 мин. назад

Hartman: Cygnus will be berthed at ISS until Dec 3; will depart fully loaded with disposable cargo. #OA8

36 мин. назад

Hartman: Cygnus release will actually be Dec 4, same day as scheduled launch of Dragon from Florida. #OA8

29 мин. назад

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

28 мин. назад

Kurt Eberly, Orbital ATK: working one issue with a nitrogen regulator on the pad; that will be swapped out this afternoon. #OA8

26 мин. назад

Eberly: lower temperature constraint for Antares is 20˚F, so no issue with launch tomorrow morning (with temps in mid-20s.) #OA8

22 мин. назад

Camille Alleyne, NASA: flying about 1900 lbs of science payloads on #OA8, supporting almost 300 investigations for Expeditions 53/54.

13 мин. назад

DeMauro: remainder of Cygnus missions under CRS contract, and initial CRS2 missions, will also launch on Antares from Wallops. #OA8

7 мин. назад

DeMauro: slipped launch from Nov 10 to 11 in order to get earlier arrival date at ISS. #OA8

31 сек. назад

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

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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 10 мин. назад

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

6 мин. назад

The OA-9 #Antares vehicle is currently being configured for launch at @NASA_Wallops

3 мин. назад

"We've been investing in both #Cygnus & #Antares to provide the best capabilities possible to our @NASA customer" - Frank DeMauro

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Пресс-конференция завершена.


Научный пресс-брифинг - в 23:00 ДМВ

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/10/oa-8-pre-launch-press-conference-round-up/

Rob Garner
Posted on November 10, 2017

OA-8 Pre-launch Press Conference Round-up

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

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

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

Спойлер

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


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


Once the tilt begins, the total time to go from horizontal to vertical alignment takes roughly 20 minutes. Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black

The countdown clock begins at 1:22 a.m. EST Nov. 11. Fueling begins roughly 90 minutes before launch. Live NASA TV coverage and commentary will begin at 7 a.m., and Wallops will play live views of the launch pad on Ustream beginning at 1:15 a.m.

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


This map shows the visibility of the upcoming launch of Orbital ATK's CRS-8 mission from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, with numeric values indicating the time (in seconds) after liftoff the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft may be visible.

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

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https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/release.asp?prid=305

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

Antares Rocket Will Launch Heaviest Payload to Date

Cygnus Spacecraft to Demonstrate Expanded Science Capabilities at International Space Station

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

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

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

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

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

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

Under the CRS-1 contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of cargo to the International Space Station. Beginning in 2019, Orbital ATK will carry out a minimum of six initial cargo missions under NASA's CRS-2 contract. The partnership is cultivating a robust American commercial space industry, freeing NASA to focus on developing the next-generation rocket and spacecraft that will enable humans to conduct deep space exploration missions.

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

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

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