Press-center
Press-center
ANTARES SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED FROM THE U.S. SPACEPORT ON WALLOPS ISLAND
On October 18 at 02:45 Kiev time, the Antares-230 launch vehicle carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft successfully lifted off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island (Virginia, U.S.). The mission was performed by Orbital ATK’s launch teams involving Ukrainian experts. The spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle upper stage on time and reached the Earth orbit.
The rocket new configuration known as Antares-230 was developed after the accident in October 2014 when the Antares powered by the Aerojet-developed AJ-26 engines (derived from NK-33 engines built in the Soviet Union) crashed after the liftoff from the spaceport in Virginia. The Antares-230 first stage is powered by new Russian RD-181 engines developed by NPO Energomash.
The Antares first stage core structure was designed by Yuzhnoye SDO and manufactured by Yuzhmash PA involving the following Ukrainian companies: Hartron-ARKOS (Kharkov), Hartron-Yucom (Zaporozhe), Kyivprylad (Kiev), Chezara, Rapid (Chernigov) and others.
The following Antares first stage systems and assemblies were designed and manufactured by Ukrainian partner companies under the supervision of Yuzhnoye:
– Fuel and oxidizer tanks
– Aft bay and hold-down bay
– Pneumohydraulic system
– Propellant consumption control system
– Temperature monitoring system
– Valves, sensors and other system and equipment components.
Ukrainian experts have succeeded in solving a Herculean engineering problem to adapt the first stage for new engines with minimum modification of the rocket baseline configuration. This task has been accomplished as fast as never before according to the expert opinion.
Leading Ukrainian experts, under the direction of Yuzhnoye General Designer Alexander Degtyarev, were involved in the Antares prelaunch campaign.
Today’s launch was the sixth in the project’s history but the first after the launch vehicle modification. Five more launches are scheduled to be performed by the end of 2018, and six launches are planned for the period between 2019 and 2024.
The Cygnus cargo spacecraft is expected to dock with the International Space Station on October 23. The Cygnus will deliver nearly 2425 kg of cargo (provisions and scientific equipment) and will take waste away from the ISS for disposal.
The Ambassador of Ukraine to the U.S. Valeriy Chaly and Yuzhnoye General Designer Alexander Degtyarev attended the launch.
The Ambassador of Ukraine to the U.S. Valeriy Chaly met with the Administrator of NASA Charles Bolden before the launch.
