Posted on 08/15/2015 11:00:26 AM PDT by BenLurkin
The spacecraft will haul approximately 3,600 kilograms (4 tons) of material in a pressurized cargo module to the International Space Station in December 2015. This is the fourth Commercial Resupply Services cargo run by Orbital Sciences (OA-4).
The Cygnus spacecraft is developed and produced by Orbital Sciences. Historically, it has always launched on an Orbital Antares rocket, but that rocket is still grounded for safety upgrades following the unscheduled rapid disassembly last fall. Instead, the Cygnus will be launched by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. It will also be launching from a new pad — Cape Canaveral instead of the still-being-repaired pad at Wallops Flight Facility.
The uncrewed, unpiloted spacecraft will be the fourth operational mission for Cygnus. This will also be the first launch of the Enhanced Cygnus, a modification of the cargo tug with a larger cargo module and a more mass-efficient service module. It will carry 1,300 kg (3,00 pounds) more than the original model of the spacecraft for a total of 3,600 kilograms (8,000 pounds) of experiments, equipment, and supplies to the space station. The service module that provides power, guidance, and control will have a new lightweight power system and Ultraflex solar arrays.
The pressurized segment of the spacecraft is currently at Kennedy Launch Center, and is being inspected to insure it is ready for cargo installation and flight. It will be connected to the service module in October, undergoing final integration and testing before launching in early December. Three-quarters of the cargo will be packed into Cygnus by October, with the remaining material loaded just two weeks before launch to allow for a bit of flexibility.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.io9.com ...
That's a good one. I'd not heard that before.
I’m around 60+ miles from Wallops Island. I heard a ‘thump’ that sounded like a mortar round at Quantico, but it was the wrong time of day for that. I had forgotten about the launch.
Maybe 108% was too much. (j/k)
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