Two years after disaster, Antares launch marks rocket's return to space
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket successfully launched into space last night, departing from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on its way to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket successfully launched into space last night, departing from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on its way to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
Private spaceflight company Orbital ATK took to the skies again on Monday, after a tragic explosion seconds after lift off in 2014 grounded operations for two years.
Monday鈥檚 launch saw Orbital鈥檚 Antares rocket propel the company鈥檚 signature Cygnus cargo capsule towards the International Space Station for a resupply trip. After the launch explosion that occurred two years ago, Orbital鈥檚 successful return to space was crucial for the company鈥檚 future.
Yet despite the pressure, company officials told the press that they were certain the rocket they鈥檇 worked on for more than a year could stand the test.
鈥淲e鈥檙e always nervous, but we wouldn鈥檛 have a rocket out there if we weren鈥檛 confident we鈥檙e ready to go,鈥� said Antares program manager Mike Pinkston on Saturday.
Monday鈥檚 launch took place at NASA鈥檚 Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va., where Orbital鈥檚 disaster had taken place just two years prior.
Although the launch was originally scheduled to take place last week, it was delayed first by a hurricane and then by a faulty cable. Finally, the Antares rocket took off without a hitch on Monday night at 7:45 p.m.
Last week, the 海角大神 Science Monitor鈥檚 Ellen Powell detailed the importance of achieving a successful launch, both for Orbital ATK and for NASA鈥檚 contract endeavors. She wrote:
Fortunately, the new and improved Antares 230 rocket proved to be worth the wait. Redesigned with updated Russian engines made by a new supplier, Energomash, Antares boosted more than 4,000 pounds of cargo into orbit without a fuss.
After entering orbit, the spent rockets separated from the Cygnus capsule, which will orbit the Earth every 90 minutes until a conflicting delivery to the International Space Station (ISS) by a Russian Soyuz craft is out of the way. Then, Cygnus will deliver its load of science experiments, food and supplies, and space station hardware to the station.
Orbital hasn鈥檛 been absent from the space scene 鈥� it has continued to deliver supply loads to the ISS over the past two years using other company鈥檚 rockets. The rebirth of Antares, however, will allow the company to be more self sufficient in its operations.
鈥淲e鈥檝e missed these guys, and we鈥檝e missed seeing launches from here,鈥� said Joel Montalbano, ISS program director at the Johnson Space Center. 鈥淭he Orbital ATK team has done just a fantastic job getting us to where we are today, and we look forward to seeing another Cygnus spacecraft berthed to the International Space Station.鈥�