Updates and information regarding the upcoming commercial resupply mission of OA-7 to the International Space Station.
Statement from ULA
(Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., March 10, 2017) – The launch of the ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the OA-7 Cygnus spacecraft for Orbital ATK and NASA is scheduled for no earlier than March 21, due to a booster hydraulic issue discovered during prelaunch testing. The additional time will allow the team to replace a component and continue with launch preparations. The Atlas V and Cygnus spacecraft remain secure in their processing facilities.
From Orbital ATK Mission Page: OA-7 Space Station Cargo Resupply
Mission Update – March 10, 2017
NASA, Orbital ATK and United Launch Alliance (ULA) are now targeting launch of Orbital ATK’s seventh commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station no earlier than Tuesday, March 21. During prelaunch testing March 10, ULA discovered a booster hydraulic issue and the additional time will allow their team to replace a component and continue with launch preparations. Orbital ATK has contracted with ULA for an Atlas V rocket for the mission, which will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Cygnus spacecraft is packed with 7,600 pounds of supplies and research for crew aboard the orbiting laboratory. Both the cargo spacecraft and Atlas V rocket remain secure in their processing facilities.
NASA photo
Mission Update – March 9, 2017
Orbital ATK is honored to name the OA-7 Cygnus cargo delivery spacecraft after former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn. Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, was a lifelong pioneer of human spaceflight. Glenn paved the way for America’s space program, from moon missions, to the space shuttle and the International Space Station. His commitment to America's human space flight program and his distinguished military and political career make him an ideal honoree for the OA-7 Mission. Glenn passed away on December 8, 2016 and is survived by his wife of 73 years, Annie, and their children, John and Carolyn.
About the Mission
The OA-7 mission is targeted to launch no earlier than Tuesday, March 21 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Orbital ATK will launch Cygnus atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket for delivery of essential crew supplies, equipment and scientific experiments to astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Cygnus will carry the SAFFIRE-3 space combustion experiment from NASA’s Glenn Research Center that will intentionally burn a single large sample of material to study flame development in space. Cygnus will also carry the Reentry Data Collection (RED-Data-2) flight recorder to provide crucial data about the extreme conditions a spacecraft encounters during atmospheric reentry.
NASA photo
OA-7 will mark Orbital ATK’s seventh cargo delivery mission for NASA under its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) -1 contract.
About Cygnus
Cargo is delivered to the station using Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft. The Cygnus spacecraft consists of two modules: the Service Module (SM) which incorporates the avionics, propulsion and power systems from Orbital ATK’s flight proven LEOStar and GEOStar spacecraft buses; and the Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) which carries the crew supplies, spares and scientific experiments. The SM is integrated and tested at Orbital ATK’s Dulles, Virginia satellite manufacturing facility. The PCM is supplied by Thales Alenia Space and is produced in Turin Italy.
