Science & Tech · Space · 11 hrs ago
Antares rocket returns to flight with successful 2016 cargo launch
On Oct.
17, 2016, Orbital ATK successfully launched its Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
The launch returned the rocket to flight nearly two years after an earlier cargo mission ended in an explosion shortly after liftoff.
The rocket carried a Cygnus spacecraft on a NASA-contracted mission to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
Six days later, Cygnus reached the station with food, supplies and science experiments for its crew.
Regular cargo flights help keep the station supplied and support its continuous human occupancy.
NASA relied on Orbital ATK, now part of Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX for commercial resupply missions to the U.S. section of the station.
Antares later flew 12 more times before being grounded for a redesign.
Orbital ATK successfully launched a cargo mission to the International Space Station on Oct. 17, 2016, returning its Antares rocket to flight.
The launch followed a previous Orbital ATK cargo mission that ended in a catastrophic explosion shortly after liftoff.
The upgraded Antares rocket launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Six days later, the Cygnus spacecraft reached the station with food, supplies and science experiments.
NASA relied on commercial cargo missions, including those by Orbital ATK and SpaceX, to help supply the station.
- Who
- Orbital ATK, which is now Northrop Grumman Space Systems, launched the mission for NASA.
- What
- An upgraded Antares rocket successfully launched a Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station.
- When
- Oct. 17, 2016.
- Where
- NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
- Why
- The mission returned Antares to flight after a previous cargo launch ended in an explosion and helped supply the International Space Station.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Orbital ATK’s previous cargo launch attempt ended in a catastrophic explosion a few seconds after liftoff.
An upgraded Antares rocket launched a Cygnus cargo mission from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
Cygnus arrived at the International Space Station with food, supplies and science experiments.
- Launch date
- Oct. 17, 2016
- Rocket
- Upgraded Antares
- Launch site
- NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia
- Cargo spacecraft
- Cygnus
- Arrival at ISS
- Six days after launch