Orbital Sets Antares “A-One” Test Flight Launch Date Between April 16th and 18th
March 2013
Orbital's Antares team is working toward carrying out the test
flight (dubbed the "A-One" Mission) no earlier than April 16 with a
targeted range of the 16th to the 18th. The test flight of America's
newest medium-class launcher will originate from the Mid-Atlantic
Regional Spaceport (MARS) located at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on
the eastern shore of Virginia.
For an overview of the A-ONE Mission, click
HERE to download a PDF version of the mission overview shown below.
Antares “Hot Fire” Test Successful
February 2013
Orbital and the Antares team successfully conducted a "hot
fire" test of the first stage propulsion system on February 22, 2013.
The 29-second hot fire test at Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Spaceport (MARS), was designed to verify that the pad's fueling systems
and the Antares stage one test article functioned properly in a fully
operational environment, that engine ignition and shut down commands
operated as designed, and that the dual AJ26 first stage engines
performed to specification in the twin-engine configuration. The test
included a full propellant loading sequence, launch countdown and engine
ignition operation. The pad's high volume water deluge system also
performed as designed to protect the pad from damage and provide noise
suppression.
Initial review of the test data indicate the primary objectives
of the test were accomplished. The pad and fueling systems will
undergo post-test inspections and any necessary reconditioning work will
be performed. Orbital will then roll out the first complete two-stage
Antares rocket to prepare it for its test flight mission, which is
expected to take place in four to six weeks. Orbital will purge and
clean the engines used in the hot fire test and return the first stage
test unit to the integration facility for reconditioning and use in a
later Antares mission.
Antares “Hot Fire” Test Update
February 2013
After a preliminary overnight review of the data from the hot
fire test attempt on February 13, Orbital's Antares team has identified
low pressurization levels of a "nitrogen purge" of the aft engine
compartment as the reason the Antares flight computer, acting as
designed, aborted the test with about 1.5 seconds left in the countdown.
All other aspects of the countdown procedure, from the ground fueling
system of the MARS launch complex to the Stage 1 test article, performed
nominally. Orbital's Antares team expects to perform another test
before the end of February, with an exact date for the test still to be
determined.
Antares “Hot Fire” Test Abort
February 2013
The planned first stage propulsion system "hot fire" test of
Orbital's new Antares medium-class rocket was halted in the final
seconds of the countdown by the rocket's flight computer, which detected
an anomalous condition. The Antares team will evaluate the data from
the test to determine the nature of the abort. A new date for the test
has not been determined.
The test hot fire test is being conducted at Pad 0A at the
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility
on the eastern shore of Virginia. The major objectives of the hot fire
test are to verify the that pad's fueling systems and the Antares stage
one test article functioned properly in a fully operational
environment, that engine ignition and shut down commands operated as
designed, and that the dual AJ26 first stage engines performed to
specifications in the twin-engine configuration.
Antares “Cold Flow” Test Complete. “Hot Fire” Test is Next.
January 2013
Orbital recently completed an extensive series of cold flow
propellant tests, also known as wet dress rehearsals, at the
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) launch complex at NASA’s Wallops
Flight Facility. The series of tests were performed to confirm that
the launch complex’s propellant handling systems were performing
according to specifications and were fully compatible with the liquid
fuel first stage of the Antares rocket. With the completion of these
flow tests, the Orbital team will begin to prepare for a “hot fire”
test of the first stage, which is the final ground test before the
inaugural flight of the Antares rocket. This test is currently scheduled
to take place in February.
For the hot fire, Orbital will conduct a 29-second hold-down
operation of the Antares first stage and its dual AJ26 rocket engines.
The primary goals of the test will be to ensure that the pad’s fueling
systems and the Antares stage one test article function properly in a
fully operational environment, that engine ignition and shut down
commands operate as designed, and that the two AJ26 first stage engines
perform properly in the dual engine configuration. The test will
include a full propellant loading sequence, launch countdown and engine
ignition operation. The pad’s high volume water deluge system will also
flow throughout the entire period of the test to protect the pad from
damage and to provide general noise suppression.
After the test is successfully completed, the first stage test
article will be returned to the Horizontal Integration Facility where
the core and two engines will be refurbished for a later flight.
Orbital updates its COTS and CRS milestone schedule:
January 2013
- Completion of cold flow testing (aka wet dress rehearsals):
The Antares team has completed all but one test. The last test is
expected to be completed before the end of January.
- "Hot Fire" test of Antares first stage: To be conducted at
the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), located at NASA's Wallops
Flight Facility. This is the last major ground test before the first
Antares flight and is expected to be conducted in February.
- Test Flight of the Antares rocket from MARS/Wallops: The
mission will carry a heavily instrumented mass simulator for data
gathering, not an operational Cygnus spacecraft. The test flight is
expected to be conducted in March, approximately 4 to 6 weeks after the
hot fire test.
- COTS Demonstration mission to the ISS: This mission
involves an Antares launch carrying a fully operational Cygnus
spacecraft that will rendezvous and berth with the International Space
Station (ISS) to demonstrate the full capabilities of the cargo resupply
system. Orbital is working with NASA's ISS program to identify an
available time window for Cygnus to arrive at the ISS. Current
candidate slots are in May and June.
- First CRS mission: Like the demonstration mission, the
schedule needs to be coordinated with NASA's ISS program and is
dependent on the completion of the previous milestones. Currently
scheduled for the third quarter of 2013.
Successful AJ26 Acceptance Test
January 2013
On Friday, January 18, 2013, Orbital, Aerojet and NASA
successfully completed a hot fire test of an Antares AJ26 engine at
NASA's Stennis Space Center. The full-duration test was the eleventh
AJ26 engine tested at Stennis. Initial review of the test data indicates
that the test successfully met all of its requirements.
After further review of the test data, the AJ26 will be
configured for flight and shipped to NASA's Wallops Flight Facility for
integration with Orbital's Antares rocket. The AJ26 is a modified NK-33
engine originally designed and produced in Russia for the Russian N1
lunar launch vehicle. Aerojet purchased approximately 40 NK-33 engines
in the mid-1990s and, under contract with Orbital, is modifying the
engines specifically for Antares.
In addition to the certification testing, each AJ26 engine to
be used on an Antares rocket will be routed through the Stennis
facility for pre-launch acceptance testing prior to being integrated
with the rocket.
Antares Cold Flow Testing Begins and Antares A-ONE Gets All Dressed Up
December 2012
The Antares team began cold flow testing with a first stage on
the launch pad. The initial cold-flow tests validated the loading and
unloading of liquid oxygen to the rocket. The top photo below is a still
image captured by the pad video system.
Meanwhile, in the Horizontal Integration facility, the Antares
to be employed for the test launch (mission A-ONE) has been dressed up
with its logos (middle photo). The bottom image shows the first Antares
payload fairing in the foreground with the cores for the A-ONE mission
(left) and COTS demo mission (center) behind it.
Three Cygnus Service Modules in Dulles
December 2012
As the year draws to a close there are now three substantially
complete Cygnus Service Modules in Orbital's Dulles, Virginia Satellite
Manufacturing Facility (see photo below). In addition to the
integration and testing of the spacecraft, the program has achieved a
number of key milestones in the last few months:
Mission Operations to Spacecraft Testing: The Orbital team
successfully completed the first test of the Mission Operations to
Spacecraft link. The COTS demo service module was attached via data and
command lines to Orbital's Mission Operations Center in Dulles,
Virginia, and the mission timeline from launch to berthing was exercised
by the Cygnus team. This test required the team to operate in shifts,
flying the spacecraft continuously for approximately 80 hours to
simulate all required maneuvers to achieve ISS berthing, successfully
executing all required procedures.
Safety Review: In addition, the Cygnus engineering and safety
teams successfully completed the presentation of our final safety hazard
assessment to the ISS Safety Review Panel, including design and
operational controls to mitigate hazards to the Space Station or its
Crew.
Joint Avionics Software Validation Testing: At the Johnson
Space Center (JSC) Orbital connected its Cygnus "Flatsat" to a ISS
"Flatsat" platform to validate the avionics that comprise the spacecraft
and the Cygnus ground control system. Joint Test 4 (JT4) validated
Cygnus interfaces to the ISS successfully demonstrating its ability to
send commands and receive telemetry. Cygnus flight software also
demonstrated nominal and off-nominal approaches, nominal departures,
aborts, and a wide variety of responses to faults.
Joint Test 5, also known as the End-to-End-Test, used the same
test configuration and included mission control centers in Houston,
Texas, Dulles, Virginia, and Tskuba, Japan to validate the ability of
the distributed ground control system to properly operate ISS and
Cygnus. The team passed all test cases on the first pass with no issues.
Antares Post Hurricane Update
November 2, 2012
Following initial post-Hurricane Sandy inspections and a more
thorough review conducted over the last two days, it appears the
Antares first stage "weathered" the storm in good condition, as did the
launch pad and supporting facilities on Wallops Island. The pre-storm
precautionary procedures the team put in place were successful.
Beginning today, the team is getting back to normal operations, leading
to a series of three "wet dress rehearsals" (fueling and defueling the
rocket to test the launch complex's systems) and a "hot fire" test
during which the rocket's dual main engines will run at full thrust for
about 30 seconds while the first stage is held down on the pad,
projected to take place in November. Once these tests are complete and
data is analyzed, a launch date for the test flight of Antares will be
determined.
More Photos from Stage One Roll Out
October 2012
Antares Rolls Out To Wallops Launch Pad NASA Video
Antares First Stage Test Article Rolled Out to Pad
October 2012
Orbital and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) have
completed checkout and performance testing of Launch Pad 0A and its
associated Liquid Fueling Facility (LFF), paving the way to begin on-pad
operations for the Antares Program at Wallops Island, VA. On October 1
an Antares first stage test article was transported from the Horizontal
Integration Facility (HIF), where the Antares launchers are assembled,
to the pad about a mile away.
At the pad, the test article will be used to verify the launch
pad fueling systems through a series of "wet dress rehearsals" during
which Antares is fueled and then defueled to test all launch complex
systems. Later, Orbital will conduct a 30-second hot-fire test of the
Antares first stage and its dual AJ26 rocket engines. After these tests
are successfully conducted, the test article will be returned to the HIF
and the stage and the engines will be refurbished for a later flight.
Approximately one month after the successful hot fire test, the
maiden flight of the Antares rocket will occur. For this mission
Antares will carry a simulated payload that will be heavily instrumented
to gather data on the launch environment aboard the vehicle. In
addition, four small "pico satellites" will also be deployed from two
dispensers that will be integrated with the mass simulator.
In 2013 Antares will conduct a demonstration mission to deliver
cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) under the company's
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement with NASA.
For this mission, a fully operational Cygnus spacecraft will be launched
into orbit by Antares and, following an extensive series of in-orbit
tests, will autonomously rendezvous and berth with the ISS. The first
Cygnus will deliver approximately 550 kg of cargo upon its arrival and
will remove about 1,000 kg of disposal cargo upon its departure from the
Station.
Map of the Wallops Island, VA Launch Facilities
July 2012
In preparation for Orbital's cargo resupply missions to the
International Space Station, which will use our Antares rocket and
Cygnus spacecraft, significant launch site development has taken place
at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the eastern shore of Virginia. The
aerial map below shows the location of the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Spaceport's (MARS) Pad 0A, from which our COTS and CRS missions will
launch, as well as the Horizontal Integration Facility where the Antares
Rockets are integrated, and Building H-100 Payload Processing Facility
on the Wallops main base where Cygnus will be integrated prior to mating
with the Antares rocket. The legend on the lower right of the map
details all of the facilities that Orbital will utilize in support of
the COTS and CRS missions (listed in red). Download a
PDF of the map.
Multiple Antares Rocket Components Being Readied for Flight Operations at Wallops Island
July 2012
Major systems of our Antares medium-class launch vehicle are
approaching the final stages of processing and assembly at the
Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) at Wallops Island, VA. The three
Antares first stage cores shown in the photo below will be used for the
key upcoming COTS program milestones, including the static fire test,
the Antares Test Flight and the COTS demonstration mission to the
International Space Station (ISS).
At the far right of the photo, the complete first stage for the
static fire test is already aboard the transporter vehicle that will
roll it out to the pad, located approximately one mile from the HIF. At
the far left of the photo (in the background) is the Antares rocket
that will carry out the Test Flight. The first and second stages are
already mated, with the Cygnus mass simulator and fairing to be
integrated during the month before launch. The Cygnus mass simulator is
seen in a vertical configuration at the left foreground of the photo.
Finally, in the center of the photo, is the first stage of the Antares
rocket that will carry out the COTS demonstration mission to the ISS.
It is being readied for engine integration. The nozzle of an AJ26
engine can be seen in the left foreground.
Updated COTS and CRS Schedules
July 2012
Orbital updated its COTS and CRS operational schedules, with
plans to achieve four major operational milestones within the next year.
They are as listed below:
- Late August/Early September 2012 - Antares First-Stage Static Fire Test at Wallops
- October 2012 - Antares Test Flight for COTS
- December 2012 - COTS Demonstration Mission to ISS*
- First quarter 2013 - CRS Mission #1 to ISS*
*Dates are subject to coordination with NASA's ISS cargo delivery schedule.
Orbital Antares Team Conducts Another AJ26 Engine Test
June 2012
The Orbital,
Aerojet and NASA team conducted a successful test at the NASA
Stennis
Space Center in a firing of an AJ26 engine that had undergone hot fire
testing previously. Among several objectives, the test allowed the
team to collect additional engine data in advance of the planned
Antares stage one hot fire test planned for later this summer at the
Wallops Island, VA launch site in which the entire stage one core, with
two AJ 26 engines, will be test fired. (NASA photo)
US Senator Mikulski Tours Wallops Island Facilities
June 2012
Orbital personnel supported a visit by Sen. Barbara
Mikulski of Maryland on Monday, June 25, who was at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility during a oversight tour of the facility Sen.
Mikulski
toured the launch pad, which is fully built and is being certified as
safe and fully functional by a team of NASA, Orbital and Mid-Atlantic
Regional Spaceport (MARS) representatives and was briefed on the
progress being made toward completing the certification of the launch
complex from which Orbital's cargo delivery mission to the International
Space Station will originate. MARS is responsible for the
construction and operation of the launch pad complex.
Orbital also briefed the Senator on the company's
preparedness for carrying out a test launch of the Antares rocket and
the demonstration cargo delivery mission to the International Space
Station in the third and fourth quarters of 2012, respectively. These
flight milestones will be the culmination of the Commercial Orbital
Transportation Services (COTS) joint research and development program
that was initiated between NASA and Orbital in late 2008. (NASA photo)
Orbital's COTS Program Featured in NASA Video
June 2012
NASA's COTS Project Executive Bruce Manners is interviewed
about Orbital's COTS activities in this video clip posted to NASA's COTS
website at
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?collection_id=28371&media_id=146401651
Orbital Begins Cryoshock Testing at MARS Launch Pad
May 2012
Orbital recently completed two incremental steps leading to
the certification of the launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Spaceport (MARS) at Wallops Island, Virginia. In early May, an
Orbital and MARS team completed a review of all construction
documentation related to the design, development and construction of
the launch pad infrastructure, including the pad itself and the
surrounding propellant handling systems and tank farm. While this
isn't a step that can be “seen” it is nonetheless important as it
allows the certification process to proceed to a more “operational”
level.
The second step recently accomplished certainly falls into
the “operational” category, with the completion of the liquid nitrogen
cryogenic pumping tests accomplished over a several day period. The
extreme cold temperatures of the liquid nitrogen provide an
environment where the robustness of the system can be tested at
cryogenic temperatures. These extreme temperatures cause material
contraction that stress the piping support systems and the valve
systems, and they also introduce icing on exterior surfaces that can
cause leaks and other issues. Orbital and MARS are intent on
finding any problems using liquid nitrogen before Liquid Oxygen is
introduced to the launch facility, which is the next planned testing
milestone in the certification process. The introduction of liquid
oxygen is the final step required before the beginning of end-to-end
performance testing of the liquid fueling facility.
Another Successful AJ26 Hot Fire Test
May 2012
On May 3, 2012 an Orbital, Aerojet and NASA team successfully
conducted a hot fire acceptance test of an AJ26 engine at NASA's John C.
Stennis Space Center. The engine was the eighth AJ26 to undergo hot
fire testing for the Antares program at NASA/Stennis. After a thorough
post-test inspection, the engine will be shipped to the Wallops Flight
Facility in Virginia. The engine is slated to be one of two AJ26
engines that will power Orbital's Antares rocket for the first
operational mission to deliver cargo to the International Space Station
under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) agreement with NASA. The
first CRS mission, known as "ORB-1," is currently scheduled to occur in
early 2013.
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and U.S. Congressman Steven Palazzo were on hand to watch the hot fire test. (NASA photo) |
NASA Administrator Bolden Visits Wallops
May 2012
On Thursday, May 17, Orbital’s Senior Vice President
Frank Culbertson briefed NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on our
progress on the COTS and CRS programs as he visited NASA Wallops Flight
Facility. The first Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) that will fly
aboard the COTS program demonstration mission later this year is
on-site at Wallops, where it will be integrated with the Cygnus Service
Module (SM), which is being built and tested at our Dulles production
facilities (see several updates on the SM below). Mr. Culbertson
briefed the Administrator on Orbital’s progress in developing the
Cygnus vehicle, as well as the company’s momentum toward launch pad
“certification,” which will enable Orbital to conduct full operational
activity for pre-flight tests and the first two Antares missions later
this year.
(left to right) Bill Wrobel, Director, Wallops Flight
Facility; Chris Scolese, Director, Goddard Space Flight Center; Charles
Bolden, NASA Administrator; and Frank Culbertson, Senior Vice president
for Human Spaceflight Systems, Orbital. (NASA photo) |
Administrator Bolden gets a close look at the Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module (NASA photo) |
Updated COTS & CRS Schedules
April 2012
Orbital updated its COTS and CRS operational schedules, with
plans to achieve four major milestones over the next year. They are as
listed below:
Third quarter 2012 - Antares First-Stage Static Fire Test at Wallops
Third quarter 2012 - Antares Test Flight for COTS
Fourth quarter 2012 - COTS Demonstration Mission to ISS*
First quarter 2013 - CRS Mission #1 to ISS*
*Orbital's operational dates are subject to coordination with NASA's ISS cargo delivery schedule
Antares First Stage Goes Vertical
April 2012
Orbital has now fully erected the first stage of the Antares
rocket into a vertical position at the MARS launch pad at Wallops
Island, Virginia. We are continuing the pathfinder operations for the
rocket's roll out to the pad from the Horizontal Integration Facility
that began late last week. NASA photographer Patrick Black captured
this image of the upright first stage on the pad.
More Photos of Antares Pathfinder
April 2012
More images of the Antares pathfinder from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) pad cameras.
Orbital Begins Antares First Stage Roll Out Pathfinder Operations
April 2012
For the next several days, Orbital will be conducting
"pathfinder" operations for the critical process of rolling out and
erecting the Antares rocket at the MARS launch Pad 0A at Wallops Island.
In the top photo below, the Antares first stage has just left the
Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF), beginning its one-mile trip to
the launch pad aboard the specially designed
Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL). In the lower photo the first stage
ascends the ramp leading to the pad. (NASA Photos)
Expect to see more photos and video from Orbital and NASA in
the coming days as the rocket begins its fit check operations at the
pad, after it is erected to a vertical position at the launch pad.
Updated COTS & CRS Schedules
April 2012
Orbital updated its COTS and CRS operational schedules, with
plans to achieve four major milestones over the next year. They are as
listed below:
Third quarter 2012 - Antares First-Stage Static Fire Test at Wallops
Third quarter 2012 - Antares Test Flight for COTS
Fourth quarter 2012 - COTS Demonstration Mission to ISS*
First quarter 2013 - CRS Mission #1 to ISS*
*Orbital's operational dates are subject to coordination with NASA's ISS cargo delivery schedule
Cygnus Service Module for COTS Mission Completes TVAC Testing
March 2012
The Cygnus service module to be used in the Commercial Orbital
Transportation System (COTS) demonstration mission successfully
completed thermal vacuum testing, a major milestone in the test phase of
the COTS development program. The spacecraft underwent two weeks of
testing to simulate the extreme temperature variations and vacuum of the
space environment. The service module will undergo additional testing
at Orbital's Dulles, Virginia satellite manufacturing facility prior to
shipment to the Wallops Island, Virginia launch. At Wallops, the
service module will be mated to the Pressurized Cargo Module that will
be used for the COTS demonstration mission scheduled for later this
year.
Orbital's second Cygnus service module, to be used on the first
Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission, is also fully assembled and
ready for its environmental test program. Orbital's third service
module is being assembled and will begin testing this Spring. The
Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) for the COTS Demonstration mission has
already been delivered to Orbital and is located at the Payload
Processing Facility at Wallops Flight Facility. The PCM for the first
CRS mission is has been completed as well and will be shipped from Turin
Italy to Wallops this Summer.
Updated 2012 COTS & CRS Schedules
February 2012
Today, Orbital updated its 2012 COTS and CRS operational
schedules. Gone is our colorful Development and Flight Milestones
chart, now that we're in the homestretch to our four major milestones
for the year, which are as follows:
May - Antares First-Stage Static Fire Test at Wallops
June - Antares Test Flight for COTS
Third quarter - COTS Demonstration Mission*
Fourth quarter - CRS Mission #1*
*Orbital's operational dates are subject to coordination with NASA's ISS cargo delivery schedule
Progress Update on Orbital's Cygnus and ISS Cargo Resupply Activities
February 2012
Frank Culbertson, Orbital's Senior Vice President and head of
our human space systems business, gave a presentation to the FAA's
Commercial Space Transportation Conference in Washington, DC on February
16 with an update on our Cygnus and ISS Cargo Resupply Activities. His
presentation, which contains some new photos and updates, is posted
below.
Orbital Hosts NASA Deputy Administrator at Wallops
January 2012
Orbital was pleased to host NASA Deputy Administrator Lori
Garver on Thursday, January 19 at our Wallops operations where the
Antares rocket is being prepared to support our COTS and CRS launches
scheduled in 2012. Ms. Garver (center) was briefed by Orbital's Senior
Vice President Frank Culbertson (left) and was accompanied by NASA
Wallops Center Director Bill Wrobel (right). The group toured the
Horizontal Integration Facility, also known as "the HIF", and surveyed
the launch pad complex that is nearing completion.
Integration and Testing of Cygnus Service Modules
January 2012
Integration and testing of Cygnus spacecraft service
modules continues at our Dulles, VA Satellite Manufacturing Facility
(SMF). The service module on the left in the photo below will be used
for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration
flight to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year. The
service module on the right will carry out the first of eight cargo
resupply missions under Orbital's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS)
contract with NASA, also scheduled for later this year. A third Cygnus
service module (not shown) is also undergoing integration in a separate
clean room facility in the facility.
The two service modules shown below are being
integrated and assembled in a class 100,000 clean room prior to the
beginning of environmental testing, the last major phase of the
spacecraft development and testing prior to shipment to the Wallops
Island, VA launch site, where it will be integrated with the Pressurized
Cargo Module (PCM) that was delivered in 2011. The Cygnus service
module on the left will begin its thermal vacuum testing in February,
followed by mechanical environmental tests one month later. The banner
seen on the wall above the Cygnus service modules is a full-scale
depiction of the complete Cygnus system with its solar arrays deployed.
To view other photos, images and video animation of the
launch sequence of Orbital's Cygnus spacecraft and the Antares launch
vehicle that will carry the Cygnus into orbit, click on the Images
Multimedia link above.
Introducing Antares™
December 2011
Taurus II is now Antares! Orbital announced on December 12
that Antares will be the permanent name of the medium-class launch
vehicle under development by the company over the last four years.
Why?
To clear up any marketplace confusion and provide clear
differentiation between this new launch vehicle and our Taurus XL
rocket. Antares is significantly different - it serves the medium-class
space launch market and its liquid fuel first stage technology is a
major departure from previous Orbital space launch vehicles. In
addition, a project of this scale and significance deserves its own name
like Orbital's Pegasus®, Taurus® and Minotaur rocket programs that have
come before it.
Why Now?
We view 2011 as the symbolic end to the development phase of
the Taurus II project. The design and development of the rocket is
complete and we are now in the testing phase, which will culminate with
two important tests in the first half of 2012 - a stage one static fire
test and the first Antares test flight, both to occur at our new Wallops
Island, Virginia launch facility.
Why Antares?
Antares is one of the brightest stars in the skies and we
expect the Antares rocket to be one of the brightest stars in the space
launch vehicle market. Orbital selected the name in keeping with the
company's tradition of using Greek-derived celestial names for launch
vehicles.
First Main Engine System Mated to Taurus II
November 2011
The mate of the dual engine main engine system (MES) was
accomplished for the first time on November 20, 2011 moving the Taurus
II program closer to the integrated stage 1 hot fire on the launch pad
early next year. The MES is comprised of two Aerojet AJ-26 engines, the
thrust frame which connects the MES to the stage 1 airframe and liquid
propulsion tanks, and the hydraulic actuator steering control system
that is mounted on the thrust frame. The mate operation went very
smoothly and confirmed the operation of the ground support equipment and
the manufacturing tolerances for the myriad of components which fit
together in the structures. The stage 1 assembly will now proceed into
simulation testing of the on-pad hot fire and is forecasted to be ready
in January to be able move to the launch pad. With the launch pad
checkout and certification quickly approaching, the hot fire test will
be conducted early in 2012, clearing the way for the first launch
mission a short time later.
 |
 |
Cygnus Enhanced Spacecraft to Use Ultraflex™ Solar Arrays
November 2011
Orbital has selected lightweight ATK Ultraflex solar arrays to
power its enhanced Cygnus cargo logistics module beginning with the
fourth mission under Orbital's Cargo Resupply Services agreement with
NASA to provide cargo logistics services to the International Space
Station. The enhanced Cygnus variant incorporates a larger pressurized
cargo module that can carry up to 2700 kg of crew supplies, spares and
scientific experiments to the ISS. Measuring more than 11 feet in
diameter, the Ultraflex arrays will provide the same power as the arrays
to be used in the first three Cygnus missions but with significantly
reduced mass.
Another Successful AJ26 Engine Test
November 2011
On November 17, 2011 Orbital, Aerojet and the NASA Stennis
Space Center conducted another successfully acceptance hot fire test of
an AJ26 flight engine. The test gauged the engine's performance to
ensure its operation during an actual launch. The engine will now go to
the Wallops Island Flight Facility launch site in Virginia where it will
be integrated with the Taurus II first-stage core, as a main engine
assembly. There are currently three first-stage core structures at
Wallops Island.
Updated Taurus II & COTS/CRS Development & Flight Milestones
October 2011
Orbital has released an updated milestones chart to the
reflect the most current projections for the integration, testing and
operations of its Taurus II and Cygnus spacecraft for the COTS and CRS
programs.
Click here to view pdf
Virginia Governor Tours Taurus II Wallops Launch Complex
October 2011
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell visited the Wallops Flight
Facility on October 17, 2011 for a tour of the Horizontal Integration
Facility where the first two Taurus II launch vehicles are currently
being assembled, as well as Pad 0A where Taurus II will be launched.
Orbital Chairman and CEO Dave Thompson and Orbital's site manager Les
Kovacs provided insight to the governor during his visit. They were
joined by NASA Wallops Flight Facility Director Bill Wrobel, Goddard
Space Flight Center Deputy Director for Science and Technology Christyl
Johnson and Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton among
others.
Top photo: Orbital Chairman and CEO Dave Thompson describes the
Taurus II vehicle to the Governor. Bottom photo: Orbital site manager
Les Kovacs provides insight on the Taurus II second stage Castor 30
motor. (NASA photos)
TEL Pathfinder Rolls Out, Main Engine System Processing Continues
October 2011
As the program counts down to the first stage one hot fire test
on the pad later this fall, there is plenty of activity at Wallops. A
simulated stage one "pathfinder" rolled out of the HIF on the
Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) and made the one mile journey to the
pad where it will be fit checked and raised to the vertical position in a
test of the hydraulic actuators. The team will then mate the pathfinder
with the pad to fit check the electrical, fuel, and air conditioning
connections and test the rapid retract system for launch. Finally, the
pathfinder will be filled with water and rotated as a structural proof
test of the TEL and hydraulic systems.
Meanwhile, inside the HIF, work continues on the integration of
the stage one core for the hot fire test. The AJ26 engines to be used
for the test have been mated to the thrust frame to create the Main
Engine System (MES). The MES will then be rotated and mated with the
stage one core in the coming weeks followed by integrated stage level
verification testing.
Processing also continues in parallel on the Taurus II vehicle
that will be used for the Test launch, while the ship carrying the third
stage one core to be delivered from the Ukraine is due in port late in
the week of October 3.
On the launch pad itself, final construction activities are
completing and pad system checkouts are commencing. The water deluge
system used for acoustic suppression and pad cooling has been tested
twice using 148,000 gal of water in each test, which has allowed for
tuning of the water flow orifices and nozzles. The large water tank at
the launch pad is oversized for the launch event in order to accommodate
the 27 second stage test planned on the pad. The adjacent liquid
fueling facility has also been the focus of much work including final
connections of piping and subsequent pressure integrity tests. Each
fueling system will undergo rigorous functional testing to verify proper
operation under remote control prior to connection to the test vehicle.
The Latest on Taurus II and Cygnus
October 2011
Here are the latest scenes from our operations at Wallops Island launch site:
Our latest aerial view of the launch complex at Wallops
Island. This photo was taken by CEO Dave Thompson as he traveled to
Wallops to meet with Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell.
|
A recent test of the Transporter Erector Strongback tilted a stage one mass simulator to a vertical position on the pad.
|
Hardware in the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) at
Wallops - virtually all the hardware required to carry out the static
fire test and Taurus II test flight is already on site.
|
The first pressurized cargo module (PCM) is being prepped
for the COTS demonstration flight. In addition, other PCMs, for the
first three CRS missions are well along at the Thales Alenia
manufacturing plant in Italy. |
And at our Dulles satellite production and test facility:
The first Cygnus spacecraft is about to enter system-level
environmental testing, following its development and integration
process.
|
The second, third and fourth Cygnus spacecraft for upcoming CRS missions are also underway at the Dulles plant. |
AJ26 Engine Acceptance Test Successful
September 2011
On September 26, 2011 Orbital, Aerojet and the NASA Stennis
Space Center successfully conducted an acceptance hot fire test of one
of the two AJ26 flight engines that will power the first stage of the
Taurus II launch vehicle on its inaugural mission later this year. The
test gauged the engine's performance to ensure its operation during an
actual launch. The engine will now go to Wallops Flight Facility launch
site in Virginia where it will be integrated with the Taurus II
first-stage core, as a main engine assembly.
Meanwhile, the two AJ26 engines that will be used for the stage
one hot fire test on the pad later this fall, are in the Taurus II
Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) and are in the process of being
integrated with thrust frame structure that will then be mated to the
first stage core. The hotfire test at Pad 0A is scheduled to occur
later this fall.
Testing of the various systems at Pad 0A continue as well,
including the water deluge system, the fuel tanks and feed lines. A
pathfinder test to transport a representative stage one core on the one
mile journey from the HIF to the Pad and erect it in launch position
will occur in early October.
First Pressurized Cargo Module Arrives at Wallops
August 2011
Ferried aboard an Antonov An-26 aircraft, a cargo container
containing the first Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) arrived at
the Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia on Thursday, August 24. The PCM
was transported to NASA's H-100 payload processing facility where it
will be mated to the Cygnus service module. Together, the PCM and the
service module will form the first operational Cygnus that will be
launched to the International Space Station to carry out a demonstration
mission under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS)
joint NASA and Orbital research and development program. The COTS
demonstration mission is currently scheduled for early 2012. Designed
to carry approximately 2,000 kg of cargo, the PCM was manufactured by
Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy. Integration and testing of the
service module continues at Orbital's Satellite Manufacturing Facility
in Dulles, Virginia.
Container Containing the first Cygnus PCM arrives at Wallops (NASA photo) |
After the container was offloaded, it was transported to NASA's H-100 payload processing facility (NASA photo) |
PCM prior to shipment from the Thales Alenia Space facility in Turin (Thales Alenia photo) |
Updated Taurus II & COTS/CRS Development & Flight Milestones
July 2011
Orbital has released an updated milestones chart to the
reflect the most current projections for the integration, testing and
operations of its Taurus II and Cygnus spacecraft for the COTS and CRS
programs.
First Cargo Module Ships. Service Module Integration Continues.
June 2011
The first Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) for Orbital's COTS
demonstration mission completed Qualification and Hardware Acceptance
Reviews at Thales/Alenia's facility in Turin Italy. The PCM and its
Ground Support Equipment will now be prepared for shipment from Italy to
the Wallops Island Virginia launch site. Read about the PCM in this
news release from Thales/Alenia.
As the PCM makes its way to the launch site, integration and
testing of the Cygnus Service Module for the COTS demonstration mission
continues in Orbital's Dulles, Virginia Satellite Manufacturing
Facility. The Service Module completed its Open Panel assembly
activities and will transition to its Initial Integrated Systems
Testing.
Upon completion of all its testing, the Service Module will be
shipped to Wallops Island, where it will be mated to the PCM. The fully
assembled Cygnus spacecraft will then be attached to Orbital's new
Taurus II rocket and launched to the International Space Station to
demonstrate the delivery of supplies and payload items. See the
Taurus II Microsite for more progress updates.
PCM production in Turin, Italy (Thales/Alenia photo)
|
View of the interior of the PCM (Thales/Alenia photo)
|
Cygnus Service Module Integration |
Taurus II Program Update
May 2011
Updated Taurus II & COTS/CRS Development & Flight Milestones
April 2011
Orbital has released an updated milestones chart to the
reflect the most current projections for the integration, testing and
operations of its Taurus II and Cygnus spacecraft for the COTS and CRS
programs.
Click here for the PDF |
Taurus II Program Update
March 2011
A formal dedication ceremony of the Horizontal Integration
Facility (HIF) where Taurus II rockets will be assembled, tested took
place on March 22, 2011. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Maryland
U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, Orbital Chairman and CEO David Thompson,
NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations William Gerstenmaier,
Goddard Space Flight Center Director Robert Strain and Wallops Flight
Facility Director William Wrobel were on hand for the ribbon cutting
ceremony. Even before the official dedication, operations at the HIF
were in full gear with the stage one core to be used for hot fire
testing and the Transport Erector, Launcher (TEL) undergoing integration
and testing.
The TEL fixture will serve as the support structure of the
Taurus II rocket as it is transported in a horizontal orientation along
the approximately 1 mile route from the HIF to Pad 0A. At the pad,
hydraulic erection actuators will rotate the TEL and the rocket to a
vertical position, where the TEL will function as the umbilical support
structure. Transport of the disassembled TEL required six trucks for
the cross-country trip from the fabrication facility in California to
Wallops.
Meanwhile at our Chandler Arizona facility, the fairing and
adapter ring have been mounted on a test stand in advance of protoflight
testing that will occur later this month. Amanda Davis, Engineering
Manager for the upper stack of the vehicle is pictured to provide scale.
Finally, with all the concrete poured at the pad site (6600
cubic yards or approximately 21.7 million pounds), and installation of
the fuel farm ongoing, we produced a composite image of an aerial photo
of the actual pad and an artist’s rendering of the rocket and TEL to
provide an idea of how the pad and rocket will appear prior to launch.
U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Cut the Ribbon at the HIF (NASA photo) |
The Taurus II Stage One Core and TEL in the HIF |
The Fairing and Adapter Ring on the Test Stand at Chandler |
Composite Image of an Aerial Photo of Pad 0A and an Artist's Rendering of Taurus II |
Updated Taurus II & COTS/CRS Development & Flight Milestones
February 2011
Orbital has released an updated milestones chart to the
reflect the most current projections for the integration, testing and
operations of its Taurus II and Cygnus spacecraft for the COTS and CRS
programs.
Click here for the PDF |
Cygnus Mission Overview Video
AJ26 Engine Acceptance Test Successful
February 2011
On February 7, 2011 personnel from Orbital, Aerojet and the
NASA Stennis Space Center successfully conducted an acceptance hot fire
test of engine #2 (or E2) AJ26 flight engine that will power the first
stage of the Taurus II launch vehicle.
The 54-second test gauged the engine’s performance to ensure its
readiness to support continued testing and operations, up to and
including launch. The engine firing included Pitch and Yaw excursions
to 4 degrees amplitude using the hydraulic Thrust Vector Control (TVC)
system. A preliminary analysis of the engine and TVC data shows that
all test objectives were met. In late December, engine #1 successfully
completed acceptance testing. Engines #1 and #2 will now ship to the
Wallops Island Flight Facility where they will be integrated with a
Taurus II 1st stage booster, which is already at Wallops. The fully
integrated booster will then be readied for an on-pad hot-fire static
test which is currently scheduled for Summer 2011.
Orbital plans to perform an acceptance test firing at Stennis of each AJ26 engine prior to use on the Taurus II Launch Vehicle.
Video
Close up of the AJ26 engine hot fire |
A view of the Stennis E-1 stand during the test |
End of test |
Upper Stack Pathfinder and Stage One Thrust Frame Testing Wrap Up at Chandler, AZ Facility
January 2011
As operations at Orbital’s Wallops, Virginia launch processing
facility ramps up, testing of two key elements of the Taurus II rocket
achieved key milestones at Orbital’s Chandler, Arizona facility.
Pathfinder operations for the upper stack assembly were completed to
load test and verify the composite adapter cones between the first stage
core and the second stage rocket motor and between the second stage
motor and the Cygnus spacecraft. A 3800 kg Cygnus mass simulator and
an inert 2nd stage motor were employed in the testing, and the
composite adapter cones used in the testing were flight hardware to be
used in the first Taurus II launch. This test also certified the
ground support equipment and procedures which will be used for vehicle
operations at Wallops. These tests were completed on schedule in late
December and clear the way for field operations to begin in Wallops on
the Taurus II Upper Stack Assembly.
Orbital also has begun acceptance testing of the thrust frame
assembly on which the Taurus II main AJ26 engines are mounted and which
transmits the thrust and gimbal loads to the stage one core
structure. This testing is being conducted at Orbital’s Chandler
facility using a custom designed test frame built to support the thrust
frame interfaces and a first stage core simulator. When load testing
on the structure is complete, the thrust frame will be sent to Wallops
to support testing of the integrated stage one core later this year.
Upper stack pathfinder testing |
Thrust frame acceptance testing |
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver Visits Orbital Dulles, Virginia Facility
January 2011
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and Jim Kohlenberger,
Chief of Staff of the White House Office of Science and Technology
Policy recently visited Orbital’s Dulles, Virginia campus. After a
brief overview of the company and its programs, Ms. Garver, Mr.
Kohlenberger and other NASA guests took a tour of Orbital’s mission
operations center where it will direct its commercial logistics
missions to deliver supplies to the International Space Station. The
group also toured the company’s satellite manufacturing facility where
they viewed a mock-up of the Cygnus spacecraft which will carry
supplies to the Space Station, as well as work in progress on the first
Cygnus spacecraft. In addition, the guests were briefed on Orbital’s
manufacturing and test facilities and viewed several satellites in
production – both NASA scientific spacecraft and commercial
communications satellites.
Second Taurus II AJ26 Test Fire Successfully Conducted
December 2010
An Orbital, Aerojet and NASA team successfully carried out the
second test firing of the liquid fuel AJ26 engine that will power the
first stage of the company’s Taurus® II space launch vehicle. The test
was conducted on Friday, December 17, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in
Mississippi at the recently refurbished E-1 test stand.
The AJ26 engine test ran for 55 seconds, during which the
engine was purposely stressed to 109% of its baseline thrust level. The
test of the engine’s primary control functions accomplished all primary
objectives, including engine startup, valve commanding, thrust vector
control and shutdown sequence. Preliminary review of the test data
indicated that all test objectives were met. The data collected from
Friday’s test will be used to fine tune the engine system and prepare it
for a third and final firing in mid January which will verify tuning of
engine control valves. This test marks an important milestone for the
program as it was the first AJ26 engine test that featured thrust
vector motion of the engine. The addition of a gimbal block
permitting 2-axis thrust vector motion is one of the modifications
Aerojet makes in converting the NK-33 engine to the AJ26
configuration.
As the Taurus II program enters its production phase in 2011,
each AJ26 engine will be subjected to rigorous acceptance testing at
Stennis prior to being shipped to the Taurus II integration site at
Wallops Flight Facility in Eastern Virginia.
Video
Stage One Core Arrives at Wallops,
Launch Site Development Update
December 2010
The core structure of the Taurus II first stage arrived at the
NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Eastern Virginia on Dec 3, 2010. The
core structure was manufactured in Ukraine by Orbital's subcontractor
Yuzhmash. After arrival by a transoceanic cargo ship at the Port of
Wilmington, DE, it was transported by overland to the NASA Wallops
launch site and was off-loaded into Building H-100 where it will undergo
checkout and integration testing. The initial stage 1 core structure is
scheduled to be used for a series of tests at the launch pad, including
propellant flow operations to demonstrate the filling of the vehicle’s
tanks, for ground tests that simulate the in-flight propellant flow to
the dual AJ-26 engines that provide the propulsion for Stage 1, and for a
hot-fire demonstration during the final lead up to the first launch
scheduled in the third quarter of 2011.
In addition to the progress being made on the Taurus II rocket,
construction continues at a brisk pace at the Wallops Island launch
site. Installation of interior infrastructure at the Horizontal
Integration Facility (HIF), where Taurus II will be assembled and
tested, nears completion with occupancy of the facility slated for
January 2011. At the launch pad, the majority of the concrete has been
poured and installation of fuel storage tanks and feed lines continues.
Prominent features visible in the photos below include the flame
deflector, the launch mount and two of the pad's four lightning towers.
Video
Arrival of the core at NASA/Wallops
|
The Core in buliding H-100
|
HIF construction continues for January 2011 occupancy
|
Aerial view of Pad 0A
|
The HIF is approximately 1.1 miles north of Pad 0A
|
Detail of Pad 0A construction |
Orbital Completes Cargo Integration Demonstration
December 2010
A team of Orbital and Thales Alenia Space (TAS) engineers and
technicians recently completed a COTS program milestone when it
successfully performed a Cargo Integration Demonstration in Turin,
Italy, where the Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Modules (PCMs) are being built
and tested. The demonstration was one of the milestones in Orbital’s
Space Act Agreement with NASA and marked another significant achievement
for the program.
TAS technicians performed the demonstration, which was witnessed by
Orbital and NASA engineers, managers, astronauts and flight controllers.
The demonstration was performed using a PCM flight unit, production
Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and simulated pre-packed cargo bags and
cargo volume mock-ups.
The process included a complete volumetric loading of a standard PCM
to demonstrate access to every cargo stowage location using a variety of
different sized cargo transfer bags. The demonstration milestone
called for the installation of at least one cargo bag of the maximum
allowable mass in the least-accessible-location in the cargo module to
validate the most extreme cargo capabilities anticipated, as well as a
“virtual reality” demonstration of cargo module unloading during
operations on orbit, an activity that cannot be adequately simulated in
the Earth-gravity environment. In addition, the assembly of an internal
stowage structure was performed using tools typically found on the ISS.
The demonstration was a 100% success, with all bags and
simulators installed, strapped and tensioned. This demonstration gave
the Orbital-NASA team confidence that the cargo accommodation system
developed for ground and space operations will meet the strict
operational requirements of human spaceflight.
The photos below show the Cygnus PCM packed with simulated cargo in the types of bags actually used in ISS operations.
Upper Stage Modal Survey Completed
November 2010
On Nov 12 Orbital completed the modal survey of the upper
stage structure of the Taurus II Launch Vehicle. The modal survey is a
standard development test for launch vehicles to determine the various
natural frequencies of the structures in order to properly design the
launch vehicle guidance and control system. The test was conducted with
the structure resting on air bearings to isolate it from the floor and
small shaker devices were used to impart vibration loads at different
locations on the structure. The picture shows the composite structures
in the upper stage that extend from the interstage forward of the stage 1
(the furthest aft composite structure in the picture) up to the upper
most composite structure known as the payload cone that supports the
payload being launched into orbit. In the flight configuration, the
entire upper stage structure forward of the interstage is shrouded
inside the Taurus II 3.9 meter fairing to protect the payload from the
environment during the ascent trajectory. In the middle of the upper
stage structure, the picture shows an inert Castor 30 motor that was
provided by ATK for the test.
 |
NASA Administrator Visits Orbital for Mission Operations Center Dedication Ceremony
November 2010
NASA Administrator Charles E. Bolden, Jr. joined Orbital's
Chairman and CEO David Thompson in a ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony
to mark the completion of a new facility that will serve as the
Mission Operations Center (MOC) for the company’s cargo logistics
missions to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA that begin
in 2011.
The Mission Operations Center will be dedicated to the COTS
and CRS programs, providing command and control systems for the ISS
logistics missions. The MOC features with direct connectivity with
NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX for full interoperability
between Houston and the ISS.
While at Orbital’s Dulles, VA facilities, the NASA
delegation toured Orbital’s satellite manufacturing facility where they
viewed the service module for the first Cygnus spacecraft that will
demonstrate commercial cargo delivery services to the ISS, and a
full-scale mock-up of the Cygnus spacecraft. During the tour the
delegation also viewed several of the 15 spacecraft currently in
production in the facility that will be launched in the coming years.
AJ26 Hotfire Test Successful
November 2010
Orbital successfully test fired the liquid fuel AJ26 engine
that will power the first stage of its Taurus II space launch vehicle
at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The test, the first in
a series of three firings, lasted approximately 10 seconds and served
as a short-duration readiness firing to verify AJ26 engine start and
shutdown sequences, the operation of the Stennis E-1 test stand, and
ground test engine controls. The AJ26 test firings at Stennis are
being conducted to verify the upgrades engine-supplier Aerojet has made
to the baseline NK-33 engine and overall engine performance. Click
here to view the video.
Preliminary data review revealed that all test objectives were
met. The test was conducted by a joint operations team of Orbital,
Aerojet and Stennis engineers, with Stennis acting in the role of test
conductor. The joint operations team, in conjunction with other NASA
engineers, will conduct an in-depth data review of all subsystems in
preparation for the upcoming 50-second hot fire acceptance test to be
performed in several weeks. A third hot fire test is also planned for
the engine to verify tuning of engine control valves.
The E-1 stand used for the test is located in the E complex at
the Stennis Space Center and was modified by Stennis over the past
year to accommodate the AJ26 engine and the Taurus II program.
Modifications included conversion from horizontal test orientation to
vertical orientation through construction of a below-grade flame duct,
and the addition of subcooled liquid oxygen supply capability. Each
engine pulled from Aerojet’s stock in Sacramento, CA, and subsequently
modified to the AJ26 configuration, will be Acceptance Tested at
Stennis prior to being shipped to the Taurus II integration site at
Wallops Flight Facility, VA. (Images and video courtesy of NASA)
Updated Taurus II & COTS/CRS Development & Flight Milestones
October 2010
Orbital has released an updated milestones chart to the reflect
the most current projections for the integration, testing and
operations of its Taurus II and Cygnus spacecraft for the COTS and CRS
programs.
Click here for a PDF |
Stage One Core Ships from Ukraine
October 2010
The first Taurus II stage 1 core vehicle was shipped today (Oct
8, 2010) from Dnepropetrovsk in the Ukraine. It will be transported by
rail to the Black Sea port of Oktyabrsk, where it will be transferred
to the ship that will carry it to the US and its final destination at
NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, VA. The stage 1 core is supplied to
Orbital by two cooperating companies in Ukraine. The design
subcontractor is Yuzhnoye and the manufacturing subcontract is Yuzhmash.
The stage 1 core vehicle is comprised of a liquid oxygen tank, a
kerosene fuel tank, an intertank assembly and an aft bay where the main
engine system interfaces with the booster. The stage 1 core vehicle is
90 feet in length and has a diameter of 12.8 feet. It weighs 29,000
pounds when empty with no propellant in the tanks. Prior to shipping,
the stage 1 core underwent extensive acceptance testing and a hardware
acceptance review conducted by Orbital. The core vehicle will undergo
testing at the Wallops Flight Facility in advance of processing for the
first Taurus II launch scheduled for the middle of 2011.
 |
 |
Cygnus Primary Structure Completes Static Load Testing
October, 2010
The Cygnus Service Module primary structure successfully
completed its static load testing in October at Applied Aerospace
Structures Corp. in Stockton CA. The test program applied loads to the
structure to simulate the forces that it will experience during a Taurus
II launch while carrying a fully loaded Pressurized Cargo Module on
top. For the load case that simulated the maximum axial acceleration of
the rocket, almost 90,000 lb were applied to the cargo module interface
ring, which is equivalent to supporting a dry Boeing 737 on top of the
structure. Other load cases applied about 35,000 lb to the sides of the
structure. The structure performed well during the test and is now
being prepared for shipment to Dulles to start integration and test.
Image courtesy Applied Aerospace Structures Corp |
Stage One Test Engine Delivered, Launch Vehicle and Launch
Site Development Continue, Pressurized Cargo Modules in Full Production
September 2010
Across the globe, significant elements of the Taurus II and
COTS/CRS programs are coming together as the projects progress toward
key testing milestones. In Mississippi, the first production Taurus II
AJ26 engine was delivered to NASA/Stennis Space Center in late
September. The engine was installed on the test stand and short
duration hot fire testing will commence in the coming weeks. This engine
will be the first full-up Taurus II engine to be tested and will be
used for three hot fire tests at Stennis: short duration firing,
acceptance test procedure, and verification test procedure. All
subsequent engines get only one ATP firing at Stennis before going to
the Wallops Island, Virginia launch site for integration.
Meanwhile, development at the Wallops Island launch site
continues at a brisk pace. The Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF),
where Taurus II will be assembled and mated with the payload, is totally
under roof. At Pad 0A, tons of concrete are being poured to finish the
launch pad structure and flame trench. The main Liquid Oxygen (LOX)
storage tank completed a three-month-long journey from its manufacturing
facility in Mexico and was installed at the site in August. The RP-1
storage tank had a much shorter voyage, coming from North Carolina and
was installed in August as well. In addition, workers are busy
finishing the ramp the launch vehicle will travel on its way to the
launch pad, as well as preparing the site for installation of the
numerous smaller gas storage tanks used for pressurization and other
pre-launch functions.
Although not associated with Taurus II, the Mid-Atlantic
Regional Spaceport (MARS) is also extending the height of the mobile
gantry at Pad 0B, just south of the Taurus II Pad 0A. The gantry is
being expanded to accommodate Orbital’s Minotaur IV and V launch
vehicles. The pad will host the inaugural Minotaur V mission that will
launch NASA’s Lunar Atmospheric Dust Environment Experiment (LADEE)
spacecraft into a trans lunar orbit.
Meanwhile, the first Taurus II payload fairing has completed
autoclave cure, paving the way for structural loads testing of the
fairing. The composite 3.9 meter fairing was manufactured by Applied
Aerospace Structures in Stockton, California.
Finally, in Turino, Italy production of the Cygnus Pressurized
Cargo Module (PCM) is in full gear, with multiple PCMs in production at
the Thales/Alenia Space facility. The standard configuration PCMs
pictured below will carry up to 2,000 kg of supplies for the
International Space Station and will be employed during the COTS
demonstration mission and the first two CRS missions. An enhanced PCM
capable of carrying up to 2,700 kg of cargo will be employed for the
balance of the CRS missions through 2015.
The first AJ26 production engine being lifted for installation on the test stand at NASA/Stennis |
The high bay of the HIF is totally under roof and getting a fresh coat of fire resistant paint |
The massive LOX storage tank is lifted into place at Pad 0A |
The ramp leading to PAD 0A progresses while Helium tanks await placement on their foundations |
Workers add to the movable gantry at Pad 0B to accommodate future Minotaur IV and V launches |
The first Taurus II payload fairing at its production facility in California |
Two PCMs in production in the Thales/Alenia Space production facility in Turino, Italy (Thales/Alenia photo) |
Major Software Integration Milestone Completed, PCM Production in Full Gear
September 2010
Over the course of three weeks in August and early September,
the NASA/Orbital Joint Avionics Test #2 (JT2) was held at the NASA
Station Development and Integration Laboratory (SDIL) near Johnson Space
Center in Houston, Texas. This early integration test of the
International Space Station (ISS) and Cygnus flight software involved
personnel from NASA, Orbital, Boeing and Mitsubishi Electric Company,
and Orbital’s processor-in-the-loop testbed (pictured below left).
The purpose of the test was to ensure that Cygnus and ISS
flight software were capable of communicating via both berthed and
proximity communications system links. The primary objective of the test
was to demonstrate basic command and telemetry data routing between the
ISS and Cygnus flight software. A number of secondary objectives were
included as well.
During the course of the test, Orbital engineers were able to
fully demonstrate 16 out of the 21 design verification objectives
required to satisfy NASA requirements. This was a remarkable
accomplishment given that this was the first time the NASA, JAXA, and
Orbital hardware and software had been physically integrated into a
working system. Orbital will return to the SDIL in November 2010 with
final integration testing slated for March 2011.
Meanwhile, at Thales/Alenia Space in Turino Italy, production
of the Pressurized Cargo Modules (PCM) continues at a robust pace as
evidenced by the image below right of two PCMs on the production floor.
Structure welding on the last standard configuration PCM was completed
in late September. Delivery of the first PCM to Orbital is currently
planned for Q1 2011. (image courtesy of Thales/Alenia Space).
Bird’s Eye Views of Wallops Island Launch Development
August 2010
Thanks to resident shutterbug, Sr. VP and APG Deputy General
Manager Frank Culbertson, below are aerial images showing the extent of
the work and the substantial progress that has been made on the Taurus
II launch facilities. In addition to what we’re told is the world’s
tallest water tower, the top photo shows Pad 0B where we launch
Minotaur rockets in the foreground, the construction of Pad 0A for
Taurus II, and the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) where the
Taurus II stages will be integrated and mated to the payloads in the
background. The bottom photo shows the HIF superstructure in place.
For reference, the HIF is nearly a football field long. The main bay
area is about 100 feet wide and over 60 feet high, and is designed to
accommodate the processing of two Taurus II vehicles at a time.
Video of the AJ26 engine installation at NASA/Stennis
(Courtesy of NASA)
Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module Completes Proof-Pressure Testing
August 2010
The first Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module successfully
completed proof-pressure testing (top photo) at the Thales/Alenia
production facility in Italy. Testing went as planned with no anomalies
noted. The interior pressure of the PCM was increased up to 1.4 times
normal value for the test.
The PCM hatch (middle photo) was mated to the PCM cargo module
in preparation for proof pressure testing. The internal hatch view
(bottom photo) shows the hatch rails that will be used to restrain the
hatch when crews open the hatch on orbit. The PCM hatch also recently
completed qualification tests at Thales. The PCM hatch has a strong
resemblance to the current hatches used on the US-segment of the ISS.
However, at 37 inches on each side, it is somewhat smaller than the 50
inch ISS hatch. The hatch size will accommodate all cargo currently
planned by NASA for the Cygnus vehicle.
AJ26 Engine Installed for Chilldown Testing
July 2010
The AJ26 engine delivered on July 15th was installed on the
test stand at the NASA Stennis E-1 test facility which has been
modified for AJ26 testing. In addition to upgrades to the stand to
accommodate the AJ26 engine itself, work included construction of a
27-foot-deep flame deflector trench. Now that installation is complete,
the engine will begin "chilldown" testing (see below for a detailed
summary of the chilldown test regimen). Once that testing is done, this
engine will be removed and replaced with the first actual flight engine
which will undergo "hotfire" testing.
AJ26 Cold-Flow Test Engine Arrives at Stennis
July 2010
Orbital’s Taurus II Propulsion Engine Test Program continues
with the delivery by Aerojet of a AJ26 cold-flow test engine to NASA’s
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on July 15, 2010. For all the
details you could ever want to know about cold flow rocket engine
testing, the following description comes courtesy of the liquid engine
experts at our Southern California Engineering Center:
The AJ26 cold-flow test engine will validate requirements for
liquid oxygen (LO2) bleed-in, chill-down and propellant off loading of
the Taurus II Main Engine Assembly (MEA). Main objectives for this test
series are to finalize chill-down procedures on the Stennis E-1 test
stand for Taurus II launch operations (flight configuration) and
demonstrate chill-down test requirements prior to each engine hot fire
verification test (ground test configuration). The chill-down test
series will validate the time-based sequence for chilling down the MEA
to the required LO2 temperatures and record LO2 consumption during
engine high flow chill-down.
Other objectives for this test series are to quantify flight
pressure transducer response in an extreme LO2 cold environment, to
validate feed line interface thermal shrinkage, to obtain LO2
pyro-valve initiator thermal environments and to obtain feed line
bellows icing data.
The RP-1 engine bleed-in process will also be demonstrated by
measuring volume of trapped gas in the Thrust Control Valve high
point bleed at the end of a set duration with nominal MEA inlet
pressure.
Orbital worked with NASA Stennis and Aerojet to recently
complete facility upgrades to accommodate AJ26 testing. In addition to
AJ26 certification testing, each AJ26 engine to be used in the Taurus
II program will come through the Stennis facility for pre-launch
acceptance testing prior to being integrated with the rocket. Initial
testing with this cold-flow test engine is the next step towards engine
performance characterization and certification, as well as efficient
test process development.
Following successful cold-flow testing and test stand
validation, the first flight engines will be delivered to Stennis and
be subjected to “Hot fire” testing prior to their shipment to the
launch site.
Updated Taurus II and COTS/CRS Development & Flight Milestones
July 2010
Orbital recently completed a re-planning exercise for the
Taurus II and Cygnus programs, with several notable changes anticipated.
The company has maintained its schedule to launch the first Taurus II
rocket in late June 2011; however, the mission will likely be a new
risk-reduction test flight, not the first COTS demonstration mission.
This new flight on the manifest is included in NASA's budget request to
add $312 million in additional funding to the COTS program, which is now
making its way through the Congressional approval cycle. For the risk
reduction test flight, Taurus II would not carry a full-fidelity Cygnus
spacecraft – instead, a payload simulator would be launched to verify
the design and flight performance characteristics of Orbital's new
medium class launcher.
If the Test Flight funding is approved and an additional
mission is inserted into the schedule, the original COTS demonstration
mission would be carried out later in 2011. In this COTS demonstration
mission, a fully functional Cygnus spacecraft will be launched by Taurus
II and will rendezvous and berth with the International Space Station,
performing the identical operations as a CRS mission and fully
demonstrating the cargo delivery service.
Finally, if the Test Flight is approved, the updated launch
schedule pushes the first operational CRS mission to the beginning of
2012, as reflected in the chart below.
Click here for a PDF |
Upper Stage Completes Structural Testing While Wallops Launch Facilities Take Shape
June 2010
In mid-June, the first flight structures that will fly on the
COTS demonstration mission next year underwent structural testing at
Orbital’s Chandler, Arizona facility. The avionics cylinder and payload
cone (upper left) are part of the upper stack assembly of the 3.9 meter
diameter launch vehicle.
Across the country at Wallops Island, Virginia, the water tower
for the flame suppression system for the Taurus II launch pad was
topped off last week (top right). Rising 250 feet above the ground, the
tower features a 200,000 gallon tank. Far below the welders on the
tower, workers continue to bend rebar and pour concrete. The ramp
leading to the launch stand that the Taurus II transporter will travel
to deliver the rocket to the pad is rising from the roadway (middle),
while concrete for the flame trench, flame deluge water pond and pads
for the various fuel tanks has been poured. In all, over 2,500 cubic
yards of concrete have been poured to date on the launch pad alone. When
complete, the pad will use at total of 6,600 cubic yards, or
approximately 13,200 tons of concrete. Meanwhile, a little over a mile
from the pad, the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) where the rocket
will be assembled and mated with the payload is taking shape as well
(bottom). The foundation and floors have been poured and walls are going
up.
 |
 |
 |
 |
The First Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module Takes Shape in Italy
May 2010
The first Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) is taking shape
at the Thales/Alenia Space facility in Turin, Italy. The standard PCM
configuration shown in the photos will be utilized in the Commercial
Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration mission slated for
Spring 2011. Capable of transporting up to 2,000 kg to the International
Space Station, this PCM will serve as the pathfinder for identical
modules that will utilized in the first two Cargo Resupply Services
(CRS) missions in 2011 and 2012 (see
mission manifest for a complete listing).
(Images Courtesy Thales/Alenia Space)
Taurus II Engine Test Stand Gets Real Cool (-317 F)
May 2010
NASA Stennis Space Center recently conducted the first
Sub-Cooled Liquid Oxygen Cold Flow Activation Test on the modified E-1
Test Complex in support of Orbital’s Taurus II Propulsion Engine Test
Program. The cloud of sub-cooled (-317F) liquid oxygen seen in the front
of the engine test stand simulates the propellant flow rates that are
necessary to properly supply the AJ26 engine during acceptance testing
which is scheduled to begin June 2010.
(Image courtesy NASA) |
Updated Taurus II and COTS/CRS Development & Flight Milestones
April 2010
Orbital recently updated its Taurus II and Cygnus development
and flight milestones leading to the first launch, which will be the
COTS demonstration mission. The revised time line is posted below. Note
that the time line is intended to offer general insight into the
programs' major milestones and is subject to change.
Stage one Core Testing Continues as Launch Site Construction Progresses
April 2010
In the Ukraine, stage one manufacturing and testing is
progressing. Testing is underway (top image) to verify the loads the
booster will see during both launch site transportation and erection of
the booster onto the launch mount.
Meanwhile at the Wallops Island, Virginia launch site, crews
are busy with the construction of the Horizontal Integration Facility
(HIF) where the stages will integrated with the payload. The massive
concrete footers (middle image) are for the columns that will bear the
weight of the overhead crane.
Crews also continue make progress on construction of the launch
pad (bottom). Pilings and scaffolding for the ramp leading up to the
pad can be seen on the left hand side of the photo, while workers
prepare for assembly of the water tower (tubular legs can be seen at the
bottom center with sections of the tank at the far right). Toward the
rear of the right side of the image, workers continue to drive pilings
for the pad itself (framed by orange construction fencing).
Orbital Unveils Full Scale Cygnus Model
April 2010
Earlier this month, Orbital displayed a full-scale model of the
Cygnus cargo delivery spacecraft at the National Space Symposium (NSS)
that took place in Colorado Springs, CO from April 12 to 15. The NSS is
one of the space industry’s marquee events each year, attracting
thousands of professionals involved in defense and intelligence, civil
government and commercial space programs. Silhouetted against a
fireworks illuminated sky, Cygnus truly was the star of the show this
year.
Orbital Sr. VP Frank Culbertson's Testimony before the Senate
Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Science
and Space
March 18, 2010
Good afternoon Chairman Nelson and Ranking Member Vitter, and
members of the subcommittee. I appreciate this opportunity to
participate in this hearing regarding the potential of commercial crew
delivery capabilities to low Earth orbit to enhance our nation’s
progress in space exploration and development.
I am honored to sit on this distinguished panel with industry
colleagues Michael Gass and Gwynne Shotwell, and former NASA
colleagues George Nield, now with the FAA, and Malcolm Peterson,
formerly NASA’s comptroller. Needless to say, it is also an honor to
sit alongside two fellow astronauts whom I hold in the highest regard:
Lt. General Thomas Stafford, who commanded the vital Apollo 10 lunar
landing dress rehearsal mission and 35 years ago blazed a trail for
U.S.-Russian cooperation in space while commanding the American side of
the Apollo-Soyuz mission, and Bryan O’Connor, a veteran of two Space
Shuttle missions and since 2002 the NASA leader and agency conscience
on all matters regarding mission safety.
For those of us who have had the great privilege to fly into
space wearing the U.S. flag on our space suit—including the chairman of
this subcommittee—I think it is fair to say that we are oriented
toward achieving mission success through thoughtful risk taking. Every
time I have entered the Space Shuttle preparing for flight it was with
the utmost confidence that the dedicated men and women of NASA and its
contractor teams had done everything humanly possible to ensure my
safety, and I’m certain my colleagues share this view about their
experiences.
My job at Orbital Sciences Corporation includes oversight of
all programs relating to Human Space Flight Systems, including not only
our Cargo Resupply Services contract and the Cygnus Spacecraft, with a
close connection to our Taurus II Launch Vehicle, but also the
development of the Orion Launch Abort System under the auspices of the
Constellation Program. In addition to our 28 years of work in other
areas of spaceflight, such as satellites and launch vehicles, our
company is totally committed to supporting the future of human space
flight in this country, as well as to exploring business approaches
that will continue to make space more accessible and productive for all
potential users.
The recent CCDev procurement competition, with 36 bidders
listed, indicates that a number of U.S. companies, large and small,
with outstanding track records of providing NASA with launch and space
services have an interest in supporting commercially provided crew
transportation services.
NASA’s proposed funding of about $6 billion over the next
five years, together with the addition of appropriate private capital,
should be sufficient to enable at least one and probably two U.S.
commercially-provided crew systems to be demonstrated by the year
2015.
I am confident that NASA can work with commercial providers
to establish the proper safety and performance standards and oversight
measures, the fundamentals of which are already well-established, that
will enable industry to continue this successful era of U.S. human space
flight for both U.S. government missions, and for other markets as
they develop. I would also expect that industry will make proper use
of NASA’s manpower, expertise, and physical infrastructure to not only
enhance safety and mission success, but also to help maintain and build
our national competence in these areas. Preeminence in exploratory
and technical accomplishments remains as important as ever if we are to
maintain our global leadership in space and continue to motivate
future generations to do the hard work required to carry that banner.
Given your appropriate concern as to whether the commercial
space industry is robust enough to develop reliable commercial launch
services for crew to low Earth orbit within a reasonable time, at a fair
cost, and, most importantly, with the requisite safety margins, let me
clearly state again my response to the fundamental question of whether
this model can work. Orbital believes, as do I, that U.S. industry,
given the right conditions, relationships, and investments, should be
able to develop and demonstrate safe and reliable crew transportation
systems for International Space Station support by 2015.
Two of the important elements of ensuring safety in future
transportation systems are close cooperation with NASA in developing a
clear understanding and full implementation of Human Rating
Standards, especially at the system level, and a robust, reliable crew
escape system. Furthermore, once such a service is developed, tested,
and certified, I would be happy to volunteer to strap in once again for
a mission to the International Space Station. If I am not willing to
join the first mission of an Orbital developed spacecraft that I share
responsibility for, then no one should be on that flight.
I would also like to emphasize the importance of partnership
to the success of a commercial crew transportation program. For
programs of this nature to work, especially in the NASA context, what’s
required is a sound, trusting relationship between - and open, honest
communication amongst - the appropriate government, industry, and
international partners. This is not a simple or easy task, as
evidenced by the major space programs of the last 50 years, but it can
be done and results in powerful accomplishments, such as Apollo,
Shuttle, and the International Space Station.
I do not envisage commercially provided crew services being
conducted entirely by industry with a hands-off approach from NASA. Nor
can these commercial services be provided efficiently with traditional
levels of government involvement and oversight at every turn. Rather,
to be successful, commercial suppliers must work closely with NASA and
other potential customers at key milestones, tests, and reviews,
providing insight to the program and demonstrating the willingness to
listen to the technical judgment and leadership of NASA’s seasoned
government and contractor human spaceflight team in a mutually
productive relationship. In addition, the FAA relationship must
continue to grow and mature in order to establish a proper regulatory
regime for commercial crew activities. In this serious business there
is no substitute for open lines of communication and the appropriate
balance of insight and oversight that will lead to shared progress in
21st century space activities.
Just as the Shuttle-Mir Program was an excellent
developmental program for producing the collaboration and joint
operations being used so successfully in the International Space
Station Program, the Commercial Orbital Transportation program and
related Commercial Resupply Services program or COTS/CRS, are providing
superb learning experiences for not only developing new hardware that
can fly to the Station safely, but also the operations concepts,
relationships, and lines of communication that will enable all sorts of
commercial endeavors in the future.
Though the willingness of industry to invest their own
technical and financial resources in an incipient space project is not
new, just as Orbital is now doing on the COTS/CRS programs, the levels
of investment and financial risks are moving in new directions. We see
the opportunity for commercially provided crew transportation as an
extension and strengthening of NASA’s current initiatives in commercial
cargo delivery that will lead to exciting new partnerships with
private industry. The challenge is to develop and operate commercial
low Earth orbit transportation systems that will service not only the
government but also the other markets that can be imagined.
Since 2008 Orbital has been fully engaged as one of two
companies contracted to provide the delivery of crew and cargo to the
International Space Station. Although this has been a huge development
program for a company of our size, and unprecedented in scope for a
purely commercial venture between a private company and NASA, I am very
pleased to report that from Orbital’s perspective, and that of our
shareholders, we have made steady and valuable progress. We expect to
have achieved all but 3 of 21 NASA program milestones by the end of
this year, including successful completion of the critical Phase One
and Phase Two Safety Review milestones. We are on pace for first
launch of the Taurus II rocket from Launch Pad O-A at the Mid-Atlantic
Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia, next year. This
progress is possible because of the hard work and cooperation of many
talented people at NASA Headquarters and several NASA centers, as well
as the FAA, the support of Virginia and Maryland through the
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Authority, the efforts of our
teammates, suppliers, and international providers, and the internal
corporate support we receive to resource this program.
I mention all of those players to highlight the point that it
truly takes a complex mix of organizations to execute space missions,
especially with crew involved. The mix and complexity have evolved
over the last five decades, but this is still one of the most difficult
and exciting endeavors known to humans, and I believe will be for some
time to come. The addition of local and state agencies and
organizations in new roles and levels of investment will only serve to
enhance commercial opportunities for success. Executing parts of the
development and operation in new and imaginative ways, while keeping the
focus on safety and mission success, is our challenge for the near
term, so that we not only expand our frontiers, but also give our
children a space program that they can build upon – not be forced to
rebuild.
For Orbital, we see the extension of the International Space
Station as one of the cornerstones for a sound future in space, both
scientifically and commercially, as we strive for more distant
destinations and new technologies continue to be developed. Looking
forward, we believe the ability to provide cargo and crew services to
the International Space Station is absolutely critical given the
pending retirement of the Space Shuttle and the Administration’s wise
decision to continue the International Space Station’s mission from
2015 to 2020 (or beyond!), thus enabling our scientists and researchers
to pursue a more aggressive program of scientific research and
utilization at this multi-national orbital facility. I applaud its
designation as a National Laboratory. In addition, based on my
personal experience on board the Station, I firmly believe that the ISS
is an ideal platform for developing and simulating the operations,
technologies, and techniques for executing more ambitious missions and
lengthy missions to the Moon, Mars, and other destinations.
I often tried to imagine what we would need if the station
were en route to Mars or were somehow placed on the moon, besides what
we already had or expected to have in the future - such as regenerative
life support and radiation protection – and one of the major
requirements was a reliable supply line – and/or a lot more room! We
at Orbital intend to be a key element in that supply line. It is indeed
important to recognize that this new approach to meeting our nation’s
commitment to fully utilize the International Space Station, including
the designated National Laboratory portion of the facility, is part of a
broader policy to advance American progress in space on a number of
productive fronts.
By now turning anew to America’s innovative private sector to
provide crew transport to low Earth orbit, NASA will be able to invest
new resources in transformative technologies that will speed our
exploration path to the Moon, Mars, asteroids and other deep-space
destinations. New launch vehicle propulsion, in-space operations
technologies and related robotic precursor missions are just a few of
these. This approach will also enable increased funding for NASA’s
other critical missions in earth and space sciences, thus helping us
better protect life on our home planet through accelerated and expanded
climate change research missions, and extend through our robotic
emissaries and telescopes the profound search for evidence of life in
and outside the solar system.
In closing, please allow me to mention that as an astronaut I
have had the privilege of working on missions that have helped to
enhance our national security, extend international cooperation in space
science, and increase the capabilities of the International Space
Station facility, which has just been given a new lease on life.
Clearly, the NASA budget that was recently delivered by the
Administration has generated a firestorm of discussion that is rarely
seen on the topic of space exploration. I sincerely feel the pain of
some who are at the center of the storm, as well as those who feel
threatened by parts of the budget, but I welcome the fact that finally
we are having a broad and fervent debate on the subject. I know that
a lot of energy is being expended at NASA to provide increased
specificity of the goals, so I am hopeful that a more thoughtful and
thorough examination of the available paths forward will result in an
ambitious, sound set of programs that will fill us all with pride.
Just as you are doing by holding this hearing, promoting meaningful
dialogue within the relatively small but passionate group of people who
truly understand and care about what it actually takes to execute what
so many take for granted - that is, reliable access to space - will
help move us in the right direction. I expect that U.S. industry will
support challenging national space endeavors as it always has –with
professionalism, excellence, and innovation.
Our nation continues to inspire people throughout the world
for our commitment to freedom, creativity, exploration, and commerce.
Opening the right doors for industry to participate more broadly on a
commercial basis will help maintain and enhance America’s leadership
on the space frontier.
Thank you again for inviting me to appear before this important hearing today.
Orbital and Aerojet Complete Taurus II Main Engine Lifetime Testing
March 2010
Orbital and Aerojet, along with Aerojet’s Russian partner,
United Engine Corporation/SNTK, successfully completed a series of
NK-33 rocket engine tests conducted in Samara, Russia in support of
Taurus II development. Read the press release
here.
 |
| Top images: engine start-up; middle image: full throttle
run; bottom images: throttle tail off and engine shut down (Aerojet
image) |
Orbital Sr. VP Frank Culbertson Featured on This Week in Space with Miles O’Brien
March 2010
Frank Culbertson, Senior Vice President for Human Space Systems
was a featured guest on This Week in Space with Miles O’Brien on the
Spaceflight Now web site. In the eighth edition of the popular podcast
of the space-related news program, Culbertson discussed the challenges
associated with human rating a commercial spacecraft, the potential for
the commercialization of U.S. human spaceflight, and the Obama
administration’s new space policy. To view the podcast, click on either
of the links below. For those who wish to skip directly to the
interview, advance the podcast to the 13:42 mark.
Click here to view the podcast on iTunes
Click here to view the video on YouTube
AJ26 “Pathfinder” Engine Arrives at Stennis
February 2010
The Taurus II AJ26 rocket engine testing process officially
kicked-off with the delivery of a “pathfinder” engine to NASA’s Stennis
Space Center in Mississippi on February 23, 2010. The first stage of
each Taurus II launch vehicle will be powered by two Aerojet AJ26
liquid-fuel engines. The pathfinder engine will be used to verify test
stand interfaces, engine handling processes, and test configurations
prior to the commencement of a series of “hot fire” tests planned to
begin in April at the Stennis E-1 test stand.
Orbital has been working diligently with NASA Stennis and
Aerojet to develop and install facility upgrades to accommodate AJ26
testing. Each AJ26 engine to be used in the Taurus II program will come
through the Stennis facility for pre-launch acceptance testing prior to
being integrated with the rocket.
The AJ26 is a commercial derivative of the engine that was
first developed for a Russian rocket that would have taken cosmonauts to
the moon. As the world’s first oxidizer-rich, staged-combustion, oxygen
kerosene engine, it achieves very high performance in a lightweight,
compact package. This engine received extensive development,
representing about a $1.3 billion investment over a 10-year period.
More than 200 engines were built and 575 engine tests were conducted,
accumulating over 100,000 seconds of test time. Aerojet has been
developing design modifications to make the engine suitable for
commercial launchers since 1993, and will obtain additional test data at
the Stennis facility.
 |
 |
| J.R. Thompson, Orbital President and COO (left), NASA
Stennis Center Director Gene Goldman (center), and Aerojet President
Scott Seymour in front of the pathfinder AJ26 engine (NASA photo) |
AJ26 Pathfinder Engine Arrives at Stennis |
Taurus II Program Summary Review Successfully Completed
February 2010
In late January 2010 we successfully conducted the Taurus II
Program Summary Review (PSR), a comprehensive evaluation of the rocket
program’s development status. The PSR included verification of
engineering milestones and schedule progress after nearly two and one
half years since Orbital formally began work on the program in
mid-2007. Participants in the PSR included representatives from NASA,
the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, the National
Reconnaissance Office, Orbital’s Taurus II program management team, and
an Independent Readiness Review Team comprised of experienced space
industry professionals who have managed large-scale launch vehicle
programs in the past.
The findings of the evaluation team confirmed that the Taurus
II program has successfully completed the design, engineering and
procurement phases of the development process and is prepared to embark
on an aggressive manufacturing and testing campaign in 2010 and early
2011 during which major subsystem elements will be subjected to
rigorous, operationally-representative conditions. Major systems to be
tested include the rocket’s first stage engines, the first stage
booster core, the second stage structure, avionics, fairing, and all
related ground infrastructure at the Wallops Launch Site and the
Stennis Space Center main engine test facility.
In addition to reviewing overall program schedules and
development status, Orbital engineers and representatives from the
company’s major suppliers delved into the primary technical areas of
the program, including systems engineering, the liquid fuel first stage
and AJ-26 engines, the upper stack avionics and second stage motor,
predicted launch vehicle and payload environments, new launch facility
development activities at Wallops Flight Facility, and adherence to
safety and mission assurance standards.
 |
 |
| Among the items evaluated at the PSR were the
stage one core structures shown here being manufactured at the Yuzhmash
fabrication facility in the Ukraine. |
Taurus II Hardware Production and Facilities Construction in
Full Gear
February 2010
Taurus II components and facilities are coming together at suppliers and locations across the globe. In the
Ukraine,
elements of the stage one core test articles as well as the first flight unit are
being assembled. In Samara Russia, hot
fire tests of stage one engines have been conducted, while construction of the
U.S. stage one test stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, where Taurus II engines
will be acceptance tested, is nearly complete. The first test of an AJ-26
engine at Stennis is anticipated in the 2nd quarter of the year.
Tooling for the 4 meter payload fairing has been delivered to Applied Aerospace
Structures Corporation in Stockton, California and delivery of the
first test items of other Applied Aerospace structures has occurred.
Construction is ramping up at the Wallops Island, Virginia
launch site as well. Initial
infrastructure is being laid at the launch pad site, and 800 pilings are being
driven for the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) where the launch vehicle
will be integrated and mated with its payload before traveling to the launch
pad.
AJ-26 Engines (Aerojet Photo) |
Upper stage structural test fixture completed in Arizona |
Stennis Stage One Engine Test Stand
|
Fairing Lay Up Tooling in Autoclave |
Avionics Module Test Unit
|
Pilings for Wallops Island HIF being driven |
Fabrication of Cargo Module for COTS Demonstration Mission Progressing
February 2010
Fabrication of the pressurized cargo module (PCM) for the
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) mission is progressing
at the Thales Alenia Space - Italia production facility in Torino,
Italy. The Cygnus PCM is based on the Thales Alenia Multi-Purpose
Logistics Module (MPLM) design which has proven track record of
ferrying supplies to the International Space Station via the Space
Shuttle. Delivery of the first flight PCM is scheduled for the 4th
quarter of 2010. Members of the Orbital COTS/CRS program recently
traveled to Italy for an update on the PCM manufacturing process.
Mark Ferguson standing in front of the forward cylinder of the Demo Mission PCM Primary Structure
|
The aft bulkhead for the Demo Mission PCM
|
Members of the Orbital and Thales Alenia Italia PCM team
with the Demo Mission PCM Forward Bulkhead. Pictured, from left to
right, are Flavio Bandini, Roberto DeAmicis, Walter Cugno, & Marco
Musso, (Thales Alenia Italia); and Mark Ferguson, George Dorsey &
Keith Davies, (Orbital)
|
Systems Testing for Taurus II Begins – First Test of 2nd Stage Motor Successful
December 2009
The Taurus II program officially moved from the engineering
design and supplier procurement phase to the testing phase with the
successful testing of the Taurus II second stage motor. The solid-fuel
Castor 30 motor, which is supplied to Orbital by ATK Space Systems, was
test fired at the U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development
Center (AEDC) in Tennessee. The test lasted a little over 150 seconds
and the motor produced about 72,000 lbs. of maximum thrust. The Castor
30 motor is designed to ignite at altitudes in excess of 100,000
feet, and to accurately test the motor performance, the static fire
test was conducted at AEDC using a vacuum chamber specially designed to
simulate upper atmospheric conditions. In addition to the second
stage testing, we will soon begin the testing process of the liquid
fuel propulsion system for the rocket’s first stage at Stennis Space
Center in Mississippi.
ATK Photo |
AEDC Photo |
Cygnus Solar Array Contract Signed
November 2009
Continuing the international flavor of the COTS/CRS program,
we signed a contract with Dutch Aerospace to supply the solar arrays
that will help power the Cygnus spacecraft during its mission to
deliver cargo to the International Space Station. This is the second
Orbital program that Dutch Aerospace has provided solar arrays for. The
first was the Dawn interplanetary probe which is currently
approximately 93 million miles from Earth and recently entered the
asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter en-route to its 2011 rendezvous
with the asteroid Vesta.
Back here on Earth, Orbital Vice Chairman, President and Chief
Operating Officer J.R. Thompson, and Bart Reijnen, Chief Executive
Officer of Dutch Space officially signed the Cygnus solar array
contract at Orbital’s, Dulles, Virginia headquarters as representatives
of Dutch Space, the Netherlands Space Office and Orbital looked on.
Mr. Reijnen also presented a commemorative delft plate depicting Cygnus
approaching the International Space Station to Orbital Chairman and
CEO, David Thompson. How cool is that?
Progress Continues in the Development of Cygnus and the COTS System
October 2009
The past few months have seen a flurry of preliminary and
critical design reviews (PDRs and CDRs) as we begin the transition from
the design phase to initial manufacturing. Several key reviews remain
while machining and tooling for the first pressurized cargo modules has
begun (see photos below).
As the year comes to a close, a number of key activities are scheduled to occur including:
- Avionics CDR
- Cygnus CDR
- TAS-I Hatch Review
- Proximity Link System (PLS) CDR and JAXA TIM
We awarded a contract to the Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (MELCO) to
supply Proximity Link System (PLS) components to guide Orbital's
Cygnus Spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) on nine
re-supply missions for NASA.
The PLS components were originally developed for the H-II
Transfer Vehicle (HTV) program by Mitsubishi Electric under contract
with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). See the September
entry below to read more about Japan’s recent HTV mission to the ISS.
The PLS components, composed of transponders, diplexers,
and data handling processors, are essential for rendezvous control
between re-supply spacecraft and the ISS. When the re-supply spacecraft
approaches the ISS, the on-board PLS initiates a signaling exchange
with the PROX (Proximity Communication System), which is built into the
ISS as a part of the Japanese Kibo Experimental Module, and guides the
spacecraft in rendezvous and berthing with the ISS.
The development and manufacture of the PLS components will be
carried out at Mitsubishi Electric's factory in Kamakura, Japan.
Mitsubishi Electric will deliver the PLS components to Orbital between
2010 and 2014.
Orbital Vice President Carl Walz and MELCO Space Systems
Division General Manager Hiroyuki Inahata sign the contract for 9
shipsets of the Proximity Link System |
Taurus II Development Continuing at a Rapid Pace
October 2009
The pace of activities in the development of Taurus II has
quickened as the year has progressed and the system has moved from the
design and review stage to initial production. In our first update, we
highlighted the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wallops Island,
Virginia launch facility. Since then Orbital employees have literally
circled the globe interacting with suppliers, developing qualification
and flight hardware and overseeing construction projects. A variety of
activities have occurred including:
- Wind tunnel testing completed
- Manufacturing of the stage one core started
- Completion of the stage two static fire motor
- Completion of the structures tooling for the launch vehicle's upper stack
- Finalization of the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF)
design where the launch vehicle will be assembled at Wallops Island
- Construction of the engine test stand flame duct at the Stennis Space Center where the stage one engines will be tested
- Commencement of manufacturing of the
Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL) that will transport the launch
vehicle from the HIF and erect it on the launch pad
- Completion of the launch pad preliminary design, with construction to start in November
- Driving of the initial test pilings for the HIF
In addition to the accomplishments above, a number of activities are scheduled through the end of the year. These include:
- Start of construction of the Wallops Island HIF
- Stage one core flight systems Critical Design Review
- Taurus II ground systems Critical Design Review
- Commencement of launch pad construction
- COTS system Critical Design Review
- Stage two motor "hot fire" test
- Completion of stage one engine test stand construction at the Stennis Space Center
- Delivery of the first cryogenic tank to Wallops Island
Stennis Space Center Engine Test Stand Flame Duct |
Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL) Design Finalized |
Stage 2 motor "Hot Fire" Test on Schedule for December 2009 (ATK Photo) |
Upper Stack Structures Tooling Completed |
Japanese HTV Successfully Demonstrates Technologies to be Employed by Cygnus, Phase II Safety Review Nears Completion
September 2009
We watched attentively as JAXA’s HII Transfer Vehicle (HTV)
successfully performed a rendezvous and berthing with the ISS on
September 17, 2009. The HTV is designed to provide internal and
external cargo to the ISS. The HTV and Cygnus share several systems in
common including the Space Integrated GPS/INS (SIGI), Light Detection
and Ranging (LIDAR) system, and the Proximity Link System (PLS). These
systems provided vital guidance and navigation information to the
spacecraft. They worked well during the HTV Flight and their
performance reduces program risk for Cygnus. We congratulate Japan for
its success in its first HTV flight!
European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne monitored
the unpiloted Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) as it approached the
International Space Station. Once the HTV (visible on the computer
screens) was in range, the ISS crew used the station's robotic arm to
grab the cargo craft and attach it to the Earth-facing port of the
Harmony node. Visible in the lower center is the HTV Control Panel
(HCP), which allows astronauts to send commands to the HTV and Cygnus
through the Proximity Link System (NASA image) |
Also this month we presented our Phase II documentation to
Johnson Space Center’s Safety Review Panel (SRP) during a weeklong
meeting. The SRP ensures that all appropriate safety requirements are
met by spacecraft that carry astronauts (such as the Space Shuttle) or
come in close contact with spacecraft that do carry astronauts (such as
the International Space Station). The Safety Review process for human
spaceflight is a 3 step process, which involves an extensive review of
almost all design elements of the proposed spacecraft. Orbital passed
the first part (Phase I) of the Safety Review process earlier in
2009. Orbital will close out its Phase II presentation on November 5,
2009.
Pressurized Cargo Module CDR Successfully Completed
August 2009
Last month it was Paris, this time it was on to Torino Italy
for the Critical Design Review of the Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module
(PCM) that, mated to our new Cygnus spacecraft, will deliver supplies
to the International Space Station. The CDR was a joint effort between
Orbital and Thales Alenia Space Italia, which is providing the PCM.
The pressurized cargo module is based on the Multi-Purpose Logistics
Module (MPLM) developed by Thales Alenia Space for NASA to ferry cargo
to the ISS using the Space Shuttle.
The CDR included two Cygnus PCM configurations. A standard
configuration will carry up to 2,000 kg of cargo for the ISS, and will
be used in the COTS demonstration mission in 2011 and the first two
missions under the Cargo Resupply Services (CRS) contract between 2011
and 2012. An enhanced configuration will carry up to 2,700 kg of cargo
for CRS missions between 2013 and 2015.
The CDR demonstrated that the PCM design is ready to proceed with
full-scale fabrication, assembly, integration and test of the modules.
The CDR also confirmed that the program is on track to complete the
development of the Cygnus flight and ground system and mission
operations to meet the program’s mission performance requirements. The
Pressurized Cargo Module is now moving forward into the production
phase to support the COTS demonstration mission slated for March 2011.
Contracts Signed for Cygnus Structure
and Pressurized Cargo Modules
July, 2009
We went to the Paris air show to announce the award of a
contract to Thales/Alenia Space of Turin, Italy to build nine
pressurized cargo modules that will deliver supplies to the
International Space Station (ISS) beginning in 2011. Also, last month
we signed a contract with Applied Aerospace Structures of Stockton,
California to provide the composite structures for the Cygnus service
module. In addition to these major contracts, we placed orders for all
of major subsystems as we move forward toward actual integration of
Cygnus at our Satellite Manufacturing Facility here at Dulles, Virginia.
Taurus II Wallops Island Launch Site Ground Breaking
July 1, 2009
Time to break out the silver plated shovels! Late last month
Orbital and NASA, along with local and regional dignitaries, officially
broke ground for the Taurus II launch facilities at NASA’s Wallops
Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital Chairman and CEO Dave Thompson,
U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and NASA Acting Administrator
Christopher Scolese all gave short speeches, and then used the fancy
shovels for a ceremonial shoveling of Wallops Island dirt.
The Wallops Flight Facility on the eastern shore of Virginia
will be the primary launch site for our Taurus II launch vehicle for
missions to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
Ongoing work includes the construction of a new Horizontal Integration
Facility (HIF) where the launch vehicle will be assembled; a liquid
fueling facility that will provide the necessary fuel for the launch
vehicle; and an all-new Launch Pad dedicated to Taurus II built on the
site of the old Conestoga launch pad, designated Pad LA-0A. Renovations
are also being made to existing cargo processing and payload fueling
facilities that will service the Cygnus spacecraft and cargo modules
that will hold the supplies bound for the Space Station.
We expect construction on the new and existing facilities at
Wallops to be completed by the end of 2010. The first demonstration
flight of the Taurus II launch vehicle from Wallops under the COTS
program is expected to occur in early 2011, followed by operational
flights under the CRS contract. Check out the
missions page of this web site for a more detailed Taurus II launch manifest.
Pad 0A Demolition makes way for new Pad |
Pad Prior to Ground Breaking |
