New Private Rocket Arrives at Virginia Launch Pad for Tests

Space.com ^ | 1OCT2012 | Space.com staff

[Jack Hydrazine]

A private rocket NASA is counting on to make robotic cargo flights to the International Space Station achieved a key milestone today (Oct. 1), as its first stage rolled out to its Virginia launchpad for the first time.

The first stage of Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket arrived today at its pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), which is located at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia. The move marks the beginning of on-pad preparations for a series of important trials with Antares that will take place over the next few months, Orbital officials said.

The company aims to perform hot-fire tests of the first stage in four or five weeks, followed by Antares' first test flight about a month later. If all goes well, Antares will then launch Orbital's unmanned Cygnus capsule on a demonstration mission to the space station, officials said.

"MARS has completed construction and testing operations on its launch complex at Wallops Island, the first all-new large-scale liquid-fuel launch site to be built in the U.S. in decades," Orbital president and CEO David Thompson said in a statement.

[Jack Hydrazine]

More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares_(rocket)
http://www.orbital.com/SpaceLaunch/Antares/
http://www.orbital.com/Newsinfo/Publications/Antares_Brochure.pdf
http://rocketry.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/orbitals-antares-rocket-begins-testing/

[markman46]

HOT DOG more launch’s can’t wait

[Vince Ferrer]

Are we supposed to hate this one too?

[hattend]

BTTT

[steve86]

You didn’t build this.

[MasterGunner01]

Was this rocket built by Muslims as the result of Muslim outreach? If not built by Muslims, doesn't that violate Obama’s NASA director's Prime Directive? How could this be? Won't Muslims be unhappy and have their self esteem damaged? Will they start blowing things up? [Oh, that's right, Obama killed Osama and there aren't any more terrorists.]

[Jack Hydrazine]

LOL!

[randita]

VA Ping!

If you want on/off the VA Ping List, please freepmail me.

If you see posts of interest to Virginians, please ping me.

Thanks!

[Gabz]

I can’t wait.

This is practcally in my backyard. A number of friends work on Wallops, and I have oter friends that live right across the bay from the launch pad. Launch parties there are super!!!!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Jack Hydrazine.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Be sure to get some good photos when you get the chance!