Monday, June 27, 2011

Launch From NASA On Tuesday

An U.S. Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket carrying the Department of Defenses Operationally Responsive Space offices ORS-1 satellite is scheduled for launch June 28 from NASAs Launch Range at the Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia.


ORS-1 is the Operationally Responsive Space Offices first operational satellite. Rapidly developing and fielding ORS-1 is an important step to demonstrate the capability to meet emerging and persistent war-fighter needs on operationally relevant timelines.


The Minotaur 1 rocket, integrated by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC), is a four-stage vehicle, two stages being refurbished Minuteman II stages and the other two stages being OSC developed. The Minotaur is about 70 feet tall and 5 feet wide. The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Centers Space Development and Test Wing has overall mission management responsibility. This will be the fourth Minotaur 1 rocket launched from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility and the Spaceport since December 2006.


Based on the approved range schedule, the rocket is set for launch between 8:28 and 11:28 p.m. EDT. The backup launch days are June 29 July 10 . The launch may be visible, depending on cloud cover and ones viewing location, in the eastern United States from southern New York to North Carolina. It may be seen as far west from the Atlantic Coast as West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. Further information on the mission, including where to view the launch, is available on the internet at:  www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/missions/ORS.html

Source; shoredailynews.com

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Weather may play a factor in Tuesday's launch... officially, there is a 70% chance of weather preventing the launch.

However, Wednesday & Thursday nights are forcasted to be clear so if the launch does not go on Tuesday, you can bet it will go Wednesday or Thursday... barring any technical issues.