22 replies to this topic

[ronsmytheiii]

[qupte]A quick status on Cygnus.

Passed ISS Phase II safety review.

Wrapped up the CDR series (which began Nov 2009).

First Pressurized Cargo Module assembly underway in Torino - basic welded structure completed.

Will provide pictures as I get them.

We plan to have a full-scale mockup of a Cygnus spacecraft (Service Module plus a Pressurized Cargo Module) at the National Space Symposium at the Broadmore in Colorado Springs which starts Moday April 12 (by the way, we're sponsoring the opening fireworks...)

If you happen to be at the NSS, you can't miss it: it will be by the lake, to the right of the bridge that crosses the lake.[/quote]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=21179.0

[ronsmytheiii]

pad construction update, thanks to Dr Antonio Elias:

HIF:



Pad OA:

[ronsmytheiii]

September update:

Quote

Development at the Wallops Island launch site continues at a brisk  pace.  The Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF), where Taurus II will  be assembled and mated with the payload, is totally under roof.  At Pad  0A, tons of concrete are being poured to finish the launch pad structure  and flame trench.  The main Liquid Oxygen (LOX) storage tank completed a  three-month-long journey from its manufacturing facility in Mexico and  was installed at the site in August.  The RP-1 storage tank had a much  shorter voyage, coming from North Carolina and was installed in August  as well.  In addition, workers are busy finishing the ramp the launch  vehicle will travel on its way to the launch pad, as well as preparing  the site for installation of the numerous smaller gas storage tanks used  for pressurization and other pre-launch functions.                                                           Although  not associated with Taurus II, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport  (MARS) is also extending the height of the mobile gantry at Pad 0B, just  south of the Taurus II Pad 0A.  The gantry is being expanded to  accommodate Orbital’s Minotaur IV and V launch vehicles.  The pad will  host the inaugural Minotaur V mission that will launch NASA’s Lunar  Atmospheric Dust Environment Experiment (LADEE) spacecraft into a trans  lunar orbit.

http://www.orbital.com/TaurusII/