Orbital ATK Set to Launch Eighth Cargo Resupply Mission to the International Space Station
November 10 2017 - 11:00AM
Business Wire
Antares Rocket Will Launch Heaviest Payload
to Date
Cygnus Spacecraft to Demonstrate Expanded
Science Capabilities at International Space Station
Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies, today announced it is set to launch the company’s
AntaresTM rocket carrying its CygnusTM cargo spacecraft to the
International Space Station. Pending completion of final vehicle
testing and acceptable local weather conditions, the launch will
take place November 11 with lift-off scheduled for 7:37 a.m. EST
from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A on Wallops Island,
Virginia, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171110005504/en/
Orbital ATK's Antares rocket and Cygnus
spacecraft are set to launch the company's eighth cargo delivery
mission to the International Space Station. (Photo: Business
Wire)
The mission, designated OA-8, will be Orbital ATK’s eighth cargo
delivery mission for NASA. The Antares medium-class rocket will
carry its heaviest cargo load to date, approximately 7,400 pounds
(3,350 kilograms) of vital supplies and scientific equipment that
will support the crew aboard the International Space Station. The
Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to rendezvous and berth with the
station on November 13, 2017.
Orbital ATK names each Cygnus spacecraft in honor of astronauts
and individuals who contributed to the United States’ commercial
space program. The OA-8 mission honors former NASA astronaut Gene
Cernan, who passed away last January. Cernan, a veteran of one
Gemini and two Apollo missions, set records for both lunar surface
extravehicular activities and longest time in lunar orbit, paving
the way for the future of human space exploration.
Upon arrival at the space station, the “S.S. Gene Cernan” Cygnus
will be unloaded and utilized for the first time as an extension of
the orbiting laboratory for an experiment featuring the SpaceTango
facility, TangoLab. TangoLab is a reconfigurable general research
facility designed for microgravity research and development. This
exercise will demonstrate the ability to expand the station’s
capabilities for hosting experiments using the Cygnus Module.
Cygnus will remain docked for approximately one month to allow
the astronauts aboard the space station to perform the transfer of
the lab to Cygnus and then back to the station where it will
remain. Once Cygnus is unberthed, a NanoRacks deployer will release
14 Cubesats, a record number for the spacecraft. Upon completion of
its secondary missions, Cygnus will perform a safe, destructive
reentry into Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.
Among the cargo is a student experiment sponsored by Orbital ATK
in a partnership with Higher Orbits, a Virginia-based non-profit,
and its Go For Launch! program. The high school team known as the
“Saguaro Snakes” from the Go For Launch! event in
Gilbert, Arizona, captured first place for an innovative science
experiment that studies the growth of peanut plants in space.
Under the CRS-1 contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver
approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of cargo to the
International Space Station. Beginning in 2019, Orbital ATK will
carry out a minimum of six initial cargo missions under NASA’s
CRS-2 contract. The partnership is cultivating a robust American
commercial space industry, freeing NASA to focus on developing the
next-generation rocket and spacecraft that will enable humans to
conduct deep space exploration missions.
Live coverage of the Antares launch and Cygnus berthing with the
station will be available on NASA Television at
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. Details about the mission can be viewed at
http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page.
B-roll and animation footage for the mission can be found here:
http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/bmc/#. Please note that media
will be prompted to request a PIN for access.
About Orbital ATK
Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies. The company designs, builds and delivers space,
defense and aviation systems for customers around the world, both
as a prime contractor and merchant supplier. Its main products
include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile
products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons,
armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space
components and services; and advanced aerospace structures.
Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital ATK employs
approximately 13,000 people across the U.S. and in several
international locations. For more information, visit
www.orbitalatk.com.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171110005504/en/
Orbital ATKAntares Media Contact:Trina Patterson,
801-699-0943Launch Vehicles Division Public
Relationstrina.patterson@orbitalatk.comorCygnus Media
Contact:Vicki Cox, 410-409-8723Space Systems Group Public
Relationsvicki.cox@orbitalatk.comorInvestor Contact:Barron
Beneski, 703-406-5528Public and Investor
Relationsbarron.beneski@orbitalatk.com
Orbital Atk, Inc. (delisted) (NYSE:OA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
Orbital Atk, Inc. (delisted) (NYSE:OA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024