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Orbital Sciences Space launch at 10:55am Eastern Time [video]
- zokier 13y agoFunny how Orbital seems less known than SpaceX, even though they appear to be significantly larger and more experienced company. I didn't even know that they were doing a launch, and now I missed it.
- rgbrenner 13y agoEven more interesting is what they're launching. The link doesn't say.. but today is the scheduled date for the launch of Cygnus 1 -- a demo flight of an unmanned resupply vehicle to the ISS -- on top of an Antares rocket (only the 2nd time it has been launched) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygnus_spacecraft http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygnus_spacecraft http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygnus_1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygnus_1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares_(rocket) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares_(rocket)
- simonh 13y agoAs against Boeing, Lockheed, etc. NASA has always used commercial companies to build it's rockets. The short version is that SpaceX is the first company to do so on properly commercial terms, as against cushy cost-plus contracts with the development costs all underwritten by the government up front.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- josephagoss 13y agoAre they still using those Russian rocket engines?
- rgbrenner 13y agothis is the second launch of the Antares rocket http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares_(rocket) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares_(rocket)
- josephagoss 13y agoAh yes I remember, they use a modified NK-33/34 and once the stockpile runs out the Antares rocket has no obvious engine replacement. EDIT: I hope I don't sound negative, I am probably too starry eyed for SpaceX and their merlin engines. I geek out how they built almost everything themselves.