(Washington, DC) – Today, the Orbital Sciences Corporation successfully launched its Antares rocket, a key step toward completing the development of its new launch vehicle and preparing for the demonstration of cargo transportation to the International Space Station (ISS) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Antares is being developed under a Space Act Agreement with NASA, which has helped fund the development of Antares and its cargo carrying spacecraft Cygnus.
In commenting on Orbital’s successful launch, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said:
I congratulate the Orbital Sciences Corporation on a successful first flight of its Antares rocket. While I recognize that this is the first step toward demonstrating Orbital’s ability to fly cargo to the ISS, it is a major one. Having a safe, reliable, and cost effective cargo resupply capability is critical to the full and productive utilization of the ISS. I look forward to the next demonstration flight, at which time the Cygnus space module will travel to the ISS for the first time.”
Ranking Member of the Space Subcommittee, Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) also commented on the test flight:
Today’s successful test flight is indicative of the teamwork among Orbital, NASA, the Wallops Flight Facility, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, and the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority. This new era of launch activities will aid economic growth in the Delmarva region. In the months and years ahead, continued teamwork will be critical to the completion of Orbital’s first demonstration flight to the ISS and subsequent operational flights in performance of its Commercial Resupply Services contract (CRS) with NASA. I look forward to Orbital’s continued success in demonstrating its cargo transportation capability.”
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