Cygnus mass simulator

Spacecraft nr:

US spacecraft nr:

Launch data: Designation  39145 / 13016D Launch date  21 April 2013 - 21:00 UT Launch site  WI, LA-0A Launch vehicle  Antares-110 Mission  Test cargo ISS Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee   km Eccentricity   Inclination   deg Period   min

Photo: Orbital Sciences

Spacecraft data: Prime manufacturer  Orbital Sciences Operator   Mass at launch  3800 kg Dry Mass   kg Basic shape  cylinder Dimension (m)  5.06 long, 2.90 dia Equipment   Solar array   Stabilization   Propulsion   DC power   Design lifetime

Artist's concept of a Cygnus spacecraft approaching the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.

End of live:

Description:

• The first Orbital Sciences Antares rocket, formerly known as the Taurus 2, will launch a simulated Cygnus spacecraft on a demonstration flight.
• The Cygnus Mass Simulator features an aluminum framework and weights to mimic the properties of a full-sized Cygnus spacecraft to gather data on the ascent environment atop the Antares launch vehicle.
  The Payload is 5.06 meters long and 2.90 meters in diameter and carries 22 accelerometers, 2 microphones, 12 strain gauges, 24 thermocouples and 14 digital thermometers to characterize the ascent environment the payload experienced. The instrumentation installed on the Mass Simulator collected an extensive data set and transmitted telemetry back to Earth which was recorded for post-flight analysis. The data will be examined to determine whether Antares’ ascent performance and the payload environment matched models and predictions - ensuring that Antares is a safe launch vehicle for the Cygnus spacecraft and valuable ISS cargo.

Mission details:

• Launch delayed from October, December 2011 and Jan 23, February, April and Dec 17 2012.
• Orbital's Antares rocket's first launch attempt was scrubbed on Apr 17, 2013 and will be rescheduled. If successful its first stage will be the first liquid rocket launch from Wallops to space since 1974.
• Orbital Sciences has conducted a successful test flight of its Antares launch vehicle on April 21, 2013. Antares embarked on its maiden flight at 21:00 UTC, blasting off from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Virginia.
• The vehicle achieved a 237 by 258 Kilometer Orbit with an inclination of 51.61 degrees, showing a considerable error on Apogee and a small error on Perigee.
• At T+10:03, the heavily instrumented 3800-Kilogram Cygnus mass simulator was released into its orbit. Shortly before that, the four secondary payloads were released via two Poly Pico Orbital Deployers (P-PODs). The flight ended at T+18:44 after the second stage completed Contamination and Collision Avoidance Maneuvers.

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel Wallops Island. Credit: #312