Wallops
First Rocket Lab U.S. launch delayed to 2021
The first launch of Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from a site in the United States won’t take place until 2021 because of problems with the flight termination system NASA requires the rocket to use.
Rocket Lab tests Electron on new Virginia launch pad
Rocket Lab has tested an Electron rocket on its new launch pad in Virginia ahead of a launch that has been pushed back to later this year.
Cygnus launches to space station
A Cygnus cargo spacecraft launched Feb. 15 carrying more than three tons of supplies and experiments for the International Space Station.
Rocket Lab wins contract to launch NASA lunar cubesat mission
NASA awarded a contract to Rocket Lab Feb. 14 for the launch of a cubesat mission that will serve as a precursor for the agency’s planned lunar Gateway.
Rocket Lab inaugurates U.S. launch site
The U.S. Air Force will be the first customer for a Rocket Lab Electron launching in 2020 from a new launch site in Virginia, the company announced Dec. 12.
Rocket Lab’s U.S. launch site nears completion
Rocket Lab is nearing completion of its second launch site, and first in the United States, which the company says should be ready for its first Electron launch in early 2020.
Antares launches Cygnus cargo spacecraft to ISS
Northrop Grumman successfully launched a Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station Nov. 17 after two days of weather delays.
Rocket Lab selects Wallops for U.S. launch site
Small launch vehicle company Rocket Lab announced Oct. 17 that it will build its second launch pad, and first in the United States, at Wallops Island in Virginia.
Antares launches Cygnus spacecraft to ISS
An Orbital ATK Antares rocket successfully launched a Cygnus cargo spacecraft packed with supplies and equipment for the International Space Station Nov. 12.
Vector to perform first orbital launches from Virginia
Vector, an Arizona-based company that has done test flights from California and Georgia, announced Oct. 19 it plans to make its first orbital launch from a Virginia site as soon as next summer.
With $2 Million Left on Wallops Repair Bill, NASA and Virginia Look to Orbital ATK To Dig Deeper
A Virginia-owned launchpad damaged in October when Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket exploded moments after liftoff is almost fixed, but the company is at loggerheads with the state and the federal government over who should pay the last $2 million owed in repairs.
$20 Million for Wallops Repairs in Omnibus Bill
Tucked away in the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill the U.S. House of Representatives passed Thursday night (Dec. 11) is $20 million for repairs at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia.
Virginia May Seek Federal Funds for Wallops Spaceport Repairs
After the failure of an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket caused as much as $20 million in damage to a state-owned launch pad, Virginia’s two U.S. senators said they may seek federal funds to cover repair costs.
Wallops Launch Site Spared Major Damage
The Antares launch site on Wallops Island suffered some damage from the Oct. 28 Antares launch failure, but escaped major damage.
All-solid Antares Would Require Changes to Wallops Pad, Safety Rules
Should Orbital convert its Antares rocket into an all-solid-fuel vehicle, the company will have to overhaul its launch infrastructure on Virginia’s eastern shore and figure out how to comply with a NASA launch safety rule written to protect area bystanders from broken glass.
