Orbital dixit:
Orbital Sciences Corporation,
one of the world’s leading space technology companies, today announced the
successful completion of the first of eight CygnusTM operational cargo
logistics spacecraft missions to the International Space Station (ISS) as
part of the company’s $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Services (CRS)
contract with NASA. The Cygnus spacecraft unberthed from the ISS yesterday
morning at 6:41 a.m. (EST), completing a 37-day stay at the orbiting
laboratory. Today, Cygnus reentered Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific
Ocean east of New Zealand at approximately 1:20 p.m. (EST).
“We are very proud to have a second flawless cargo mission to the space
station brought to a successful conclusion this afternoon,†said Mr. David
W. Thompson, Orbital’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Following
Cygnus’ successful demonstration mission in late 2013 conducted under our
COTS research and development partnership with NASA, the picture-perfect
execution of the first operational mission is a great way to start the CRS
contract. We are looking forward to the next Antares launch and Cygnus
cargo delivery mission currently scheduled for early May.â€
The CRS-1 mission began on January 9, 2014 when Orbital’s AntaresTM rocket
launched Cygnus into orbit from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS)
located at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia. Cygnus,
which carried 2,780 lbs. (1,260 kg.) of cargo and science payloads,
rendezvoused and berthed with the ISS three days later on January 12.
Prior to its departure from the station, the astronauts loaded the cargo
module with approximately 3,250 lbs. (1,477 kg.) of unneeded items for
disposal.
Under the CRS contract with NASA, Orbital is using Antares and Cygnus to
deliver up to 44,000 lbs. (20,000 kg.) of cargo to the ISS over eight
missions, including the CRS-1 flight just completed, through late 2016.
For these missions, NASA will manifest a variety of essential items based
on ISS program needs, including food, clothing, crew supplies, spare parts
and equipment, and scientific experiments.
Preparations are already well advanced for the next Cygnus cargo delivery
flight, the CRS-2 mission, scheduled to take place in early May. The
Antares rocket for the mission is now undergoing final assembly at Wallops
Island, while the Cygnus spacecraft is being prepared for shipment to the
Wallops launch site in mid-March. The CRS-2 flight is expected to deliver
about 3,630 lbs. (1,650 kg.) of cargo to the Space Station.
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