Updates Orbital's Antares (Taurus II) & Cygnus

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Video replay of the test

A video of that test from YouTube:
NASA AJ26 Rocket Engine Test


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Test firing of the AJ26 engine for Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Taurus II launch vehicle at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on Dec. 17, 2010. Image Credit: NASA
 

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Orbital Successfully Test Fires First Stage Engine For Taurus II Rocket.

-- Data from Latest Test of AJ26 Engine Confirms High-Thrust Performance, Thrust Vector Control System Functioning, and Test Facility Operations --

Orbital Sciences Corporation, one of the world’s leading space technology companies, today announced that it successfully carried out a long-duration test firing of the liquid-fueled AJ26 rocket engine that will power the first stage of the company’s Taurus® II space launch vehicle. In a test conducted on Friday, December 17 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, Orbital and its engine supplier Aerojet, a unit of GenCorp, oversaw a test of the AJ26 engine 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% (or about 370,000 lbs) of its baseline thrust level. The test of the engine’s primary control functions accomplished all primary objectives, including engine startup, propellant valve commanding, thrust vector control functioning and shutdown sequencing. 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 AJ26 engine system and prepare it for a third and final firing in mid-January, which will verify tuning of engine control valves.

The first stage of the Taurus II launch vehicle is powered by two liquid oxygen/kerosene AJ26 engines, which together generate nearly 740,000 lbs. of liftoff thrust and accelerate the vehicle to a speed of 10,700 miles per hour in the first 235 seconds of flight. As the Taurus II program enters its initial launch 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 NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Eastern Virginia. Three more AJ26’s are scheduled for testing over the next five months.

About Taurus II

Orbital is developing the Taurus II medium-class space launch vehicle to boost payloads into a variety of low Earth and geosynchronous transfer orbits and Earth escape trajectories. Taurus II incorporates proven technologies from the company’s Pegasus®, Taurus and Minotaur rockets, and is supported by a “best-in-class” network of suppliers from the U.S. and around the world.

The Taurus II program currently has a backlog of nine launches, beginning with the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) project, a joint research and development effort with NASA to develop a space transportation system capable of safely and reliably supplying the International Space Station (ISS) with essential cargo. Orbital is also under contract with NASA for the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program with an eight-mission, $1.9 billion agreement to deliver cargo to the ISS from 2011 through 2015.

In addition to its work with NASA on the COTS and CRS programs, Orbital is also offering the Taurus II rocket to U.S civil government, military and commercial customers for dedicated launch services for medium-class satellites. From its Wallops Island, Virginia launch site, Taurus II will be capable of supporting mid-inclination and polar orbiting spacecraft weighing approximately 10,500 lbs. and 5,500 lbs, respectively. Development of a West Coast launch capability is planned for the future to optimize performance to high-inclination orbits.

About Orbital

Orbital develops and manufactures small- and medium-class rockets and space systems for commercial, military and civil government customers. The company’s primary products are satellites and launch vehicles, including low-Earth orbit, geosynchronous-Earth orbit and planetary exploration spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense missions; human-rated space systems for Earth-orbit, lunar and other missions; ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into orbit; and missile defense systems that are used as interceptor and target vehicles. Orbital also provides satellite subsystems and space-related technical services to U.S. Government agencies and laboratories.

More information about Orbital can be found at www.orbital.com
 

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NASA Unveiling New Rocket Integration Facility At Wallops.

NASA will unveil its new rocket integration facility at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. EST on Friday, Jan. 21.

The Horizontal Integration Facility will support medium class mission capabilities. The first customer to use the facility will be Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles, Va., with its Taurus II launch vehicle.

Orbital will be conducting missions for NASA under the agency's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services project and Commercial Resupply Services program. Integration of the Taurus II at the facility will begin in February with launch expected later this year.

Participants in the ceremony:
- Sen. Barbara Mikulski
- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden
- NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations William Gerstenmaier
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Director Rob Strain
- NASA Wallops Flight Facility Director William Wrobel
- Orbital Sciences Corp. Chairman and CEO David Thompson

Media representatives interested in attending this event must contact Keith Koehler at [email protected] or 757-824-1579 by noon on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

For more information about Wallops, visit:
www.nasa.gov/wallops
 

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NASA Postpones Wallops Integration Facility Ceremony.

NASA postponed the Jan. 21 unveiling of the new rocket integration facility at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia due to expected inclement weather. A new date for the ceremony has not been determined.

The Horizontal Integration Facility will support medium class mission capabilities. The first customer to use the facility will be Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., with its Taurus II launch vehicle.

Orbital will conduct missions for NASA under the agency's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services project and Commercial Resupply Services contract. Integration of the Taurus II in the facility begins in February; with a first launch expected later this year.

For more information about Wallops, visit:
www.nasa.gov/wallops
 

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NASA:
Media Invited To Engine Test And Meeting With Nasa Administrator

Feb. 04, 2011​

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. -- Members of the news media are invited to visit NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center on Monday, Feb. 7, to view a flight acceptance test of Aerojet's AJ26 rocket engine for the Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Taurus II space launch vehicle.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and executives from Orbital and Aerojet will be at Stennis to witness the test, which is targeted for 4 p.m. CST. Following the test, reporters will have an opportunity to ask questions of Bolden and the Orbital and Aerojet executives.

When flight acceptance testing on the AJ26 engine is complete, it will be delivered to Orbital at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility launch site in Virginia for integration with the rocket's first stage. NASA has contracted with Orbital to provide eight cargo missions to the International Space Station. The first is scheduled for early 2012. NASA is investing with private industry to develop safe, reliable, cost-effective space transportation capabilities that will spur the development of new spacecraft and launch vehicles that will stimulate the commercial sector and reduce dependence on foreign providers.

To attend the event, news media must contact Paul Foerman at 228-688-1880 or [email protected] by 9 a.m. on Feb. 7. Reporters must arrive no later than 3 p.m. on Feb. 7 to allow time for clearance and escort to the test site. For information about Stennis Space Center, visit:


{...}
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Parabolic Arc: Bolden to View Acceptance Test of Taurus II Rocket Engine at Stennis.
 

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WDSU.com: New Rocket Engine Tested At Stennis (CONTAINS VIDEO):
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- NASA put a new rocket engine to the test Monday at the John C. Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi.

After a short delay, the rocket engine test was 53 seconds of raw power.

It was very loud and powerful, generating huge plumes of flames and smoke. NASA said the testing of the Aerojet AJ26 engine went off without a hitch.

{...}

Click on the image to enlarge​
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden (left) and Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann view a test firing of the first Aerojet AJ26 flight engine. Once flight acceptance is achieved, the engine will power the first stage of Orbital’s Taurus II space launch vehicle on commercial cargo missions to the International Space Station. NASA has partnered with Orbital to provide eight cargo missions to the space station, with the first scheduled for early 2012.
Image Credit: NASA/Danny Nowlin​
 
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HR_Oso

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It's amazing to see a 40-years-old moon russian rocket engine roaring again flawlessly...

469321main_image_1716_946-710.jpg
 

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Spaceflight Now: Taurus 2 risk-reduction flight approved for October launch:
NASA has agreed to pay approximately $100 million to Orbital Sciences Corp. for a test flight of the Taurus 2 rocket to reduce risk on future launches to resupply the International Space Station, company officials said Thursday.

The test flight is scheduled to blast off in early October from a new launch pad on Wallops Island, Va.

The launch will not carry Orbital's Cygnus cargo freighter, a separate development which will resupply the space station eight times through 2015. The Cygnus spacecraft should be ready for its in-orbit demonstration by December, according to David Thompson, Orbital's chairman and CEO.

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Awesome, so they are launching from Wallops.

I am definitely going to see that launch.

I worked there one summer, and still live relatively close. Much much closer than Kennedy anyways.
 

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Spaceflight Now: Orbital picks upgraded solid motor for Taurus 2 rocket:
Orbital Sciences Corp. has selected an upgraded Castor 30 solid-fueled upper stage to provide a performance boost for the Taurus 2 rocket and meet NASA's contractual requirements for cargo deliveries to the International Space Station, officials announced Monday.

castor30a.jpg

File photo of a Castor 30A solid rocket motor. Credit: ATK

The Castor 30XL motor, built by ATK, will be used as the second stage on the Taurus 2 rocket beginning on its fifth flight scheduled for 2013. The Castor 30XL contract is worth $57 million, according to ATK.

ATK is already providing a basic version of the Castor 30 motor for the first four Taurus 2 missions. A Castor 30A second stage will help propel the first two Taurus 2 rockets into orbit this year, then a higher-performing Castor 30B motor will be used on the third and fourth flights in 2012, officials said.

The Castor 30XL is a lengthened version of the Castor 30A, which is designed to ignite at high altitudes above 100,000 feet, produce up to 89,000 pounds of thrust and fire for 146 seconds. The Castor 30XL's performance details were not released.

Both stages are the same diameter, but the extended Castor 30 stage is more than 19 feet long, nearly 8 feet longer than the Castor 30A. The larger motor means the Taurus 2 rocket will be able to lift more cargo into orbit.

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NASASpaceflight: Atlantis gifts TriDAR to Orbital’s Cygnus for ISS rendezvous and docking:
Adding to the long list that is her legacy, Atlantis’ successful final test of Neptec’s TriDAR rendezvous and docking system has resulted in Orbital completing a deal to use high tech sensors on their Cygnus spacecraft. With the orbiter’s also testing DragonEye for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, the two commercial vehicles will “Tally Ho” the ISS via the path finding conducted by Shuttle.

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SPACE.com: New Private Rocket's Launch Debut Delayed Two Months:
PARIS — The inaugural flight of Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Taurus 2 rocket will be delayed by about two months, to December, to allow time for the completion and certification of rocket propellant and pressurization facilities at the vehicle's Wallops Island, Va., launch site, Orbital Chief Executive David W. Thompson said July 21.

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Aviation Week: Russian-Built AJ-26 Hardware Caused Test-Stand Fire:
The June 9 test-stand fire that ruined one of the two rocket engines scheduled to power the first flight of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Taurus II launch vehicle was caused by kerosene fuel leaking from a 40-year-old manifold manufactured in the former Soviet Union.

Initially the fire was thought to have been triggered by a fuel leak in the test stand at Stennis Space Center, Miss. Subsequent analysis revealed that the leak came from a fuel manifold on the outside of the Soviet-era NK-33 rocket engine, which has been modified by Aerojet and redesignated the AJ-26.

As a result, Aerojet is evaluating all of the three dozen AJ-26s in its inventory to ensure that they are free of corrosion or some other flaw that might have caused the leak on the damaged engine, according to an Orbital spokesman.

“We’re screening the remaining inventory of AJ-26s to double-check to make sure none of the other ones have the problem,” says Barron Beneski, Orbital vice president of public relations. “If they do, we’ll set them aside for some extra inspections.”

The engine lost in the fire was destined for static testing at the new Taurus II launch pad on Wallops Island, Va., and for a first flight now rescheduled from September to mid-December.

Orbital plans to substitute the next engine cleared by the nondestructive evaluation process worked out after the fire. That engine will get a hot-fire test at Stennis and move on to Wallops for integration into the launch vehicle.

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