OrbitalHub

Wikipedia dicit:

The constellation of WGS satellites increases the communications capabilities of the militaries of the United States, Canada, and Australia by providing additional bandwidth and communications capabilities for tactical command and control, communications, and computers; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR); battle management; and combat support information. Canada has also signed on to become a partner.

WGS also augments the current Ka-band Global Broadcast Service (on UHF F/O satellites) by providing additional information broadcast capabilities as well as providing new two-way capability on that band. It provides services to the US DoD and Australian Department of Defence. The IWS System supports continuous 24-hour-per-day wideband satellite services to tactical users and some fixed infrastructure users. Limited protected services will be provided under conditions of stress to selected users employing terrestrial modems capable of providing protection against jamming.

Video Credit: ULA

NASA dicit:

Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket launched April 17 from the Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, carrying the unpiloted Cygnus cargo spacecraft to orbit for its journey to deliver several tons of supplies and scientific experiments to the International Space Station. Dubbed the “SS Roger Chaffee” in honor of the NASA astronaut who died in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire in January 1967, Cygnus is scheduled to arrive at the station on April 19. It will remain at the space station until July 23, when it will depart, deploy NanoRacks customer CubeSats, and then have an extended mission in orbit until December. This will be the final mission under Northrop Grumman’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract with NASA before starting the CRS-2 contract missions this fall.

Video Credit: NASA

Time lapse video shows skin milling of an aluminum panel for a liquid oxygen tank for the Vulcan Centaur’s first launch.

Video Credit: ULA

The Progress MS-11 spacecraft carried about 2450 kg of cargo and supplies to the International Space Station. The spacecraft will deliver food, fuel and supplies, including 705 kg of propellant, 50 kg of oxygen and air, 420 kg of water.

Video Credit: Roscosmos

A recap of accomplishments and future plans for Kennedy-led programs including Commercial Crew Program, Launch Services Program, Exploration Ground Systems, Exploration Research and Technology and Center Planning and Development.

Video Credit: NASA Kennedy

Northrop Grumman dicit:

Northrop Grumman Corporation conducted its second ground test of a 63-inch diameter Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM 63) in Promontory, Utah. The company developed this new side-mounted rocket motor to add power to the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V launch vehicle.

The maximum thrust of the GEM 63 is 373,000 pounds or roughly the equivalent of five B-2 Spirit bombers. Up to five GEM 63 motors can support a single Atlas V launch.

The GEM 63 team developed the motor under a cooperative development program with ULA. Northrop Grumman has been supplying solid propulsion motors for a variety of launch vehicles since 1964 and is ULA’s largest legacy supplier of solid propulsion. Northrop Grumman’s expertise in solid rocket boosters combined with ULA’s history of reliability results in a strong partnership that guarantees assured access to space for national security.

The first ground test, conducted in September 2018, qualified the motor for use as a strap-on booster for the Atlas V. This second test satisfies additional requirements for certification by the U.S. Air Force. The first launch using GEM 63 motors will take place in 2020.

In addition to the GEM 63 motor, Northrop Grumman is also developing a GEM 63XL motor for ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket. Both versions of the GEM 63 family use common materials and processes to maintain a high-reliability, low-cost product. The first GEM 63XL case, which is the longest non-segmented, monolithic case ever manufactured, has already been wound at a new facility in Clearfield, Utah, and is currently in the structural qualification process.

Video Credit: Northrop Grumman