If you routinely follow developments related to private space companies then you most certainly will be aware of the work that’s being done by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Blue Origin of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Orbital ATK is yet another private company that’s going to launch its first mission since one of its rockets exploded on the launch pad in October last year.
Orbital had to take a step back and ascertain precisely what went wrong last year when its uncrewed Antares rocket exploded on the launch pad merely seconds after it took off from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
This is going to be an uncrewed supply mission to the International Space Station using the company’s Cygnus cargo capsule. It will be launch with the Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 5:55 pm ET. NASA is going to start TV coverage from 4:30 pm ET.
The cargo capsule is going to take up more than 7,000 pounds of water, food and supplies for the crew aboard the International Space Station. There’s a 30 minute launch window for the rocket and if it’s unable to take off as per schedule tomorrow then Orbital ATK is going to try again on Friday.
Orbital found out the exact problems and decided to swap the engines and remodel the rocket, but the Antares won’t be ready until late next year, so to meet its contractual obligation with NASA to launch eight supply missions by the end of 2016 Orbital’s capsule is going to hitch a ride on the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket.
This is the sixth contractually obligated supply mission, Orbital plans to perform the seventh and the final on its remodeled Antares rocket next year.
Filed in . Read more about Rockets and Space. Source: prnewswire