Monday, September 16, 2013

Preparing for Cygnus' First Flight...

Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket is poised in launch position on its pad at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on September 13, 2013.
Orbital Sciences

Now standing in launch position at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is Orbital Sciences' Antares vehicle...with the company's Cygnus freighter tucked safely within the payload fairing of the 133-foot-tall rocket. Lift-off is scheduled for this Wednesday, September 18...with Cygnus transporting 1,200 pounds of cargo up to the International Space Station (ISS) on the freighter's inaugural flight to low-Earth orbit. Like Russia's Progress and Japan's HTV supply ships, Cygnus will end its mission in a destructive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere once its mission is complete.

Orbital Sciences' Cygnus freighter is about to be encapsulated inside the Antares rocket's payload fairing at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on September 9, 2013.
Orbital Sciences / Dan Wiles

Orbital Sciences' Cygnus freighter is encapsulated inside the Antares rocket's payload fairing at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on September 9, 2013.
Orbital Sciences / Dan Wiles

Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket is about to be rolled out to its launch pad at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on September 13, 2013.
Orbital Sciences

Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket is rolled out to its launch pad at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on September 13, 2013.
Orbital Sciences

Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket is about to be poised into launch position on its pad at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on September 13, 2013.
Orbital Sciences

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