Orbital Sciences New Antares Rocket Will Boost Secondary Payloads To Leo In 2012

SPACEFLIGHT INC. announced last month that it has two customers to fly 4-NanoSats on the maiden flight of the ANTARES (formerly Taurus II) rocket being developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation and launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Va.

Under a contract with a US Government customer, Spaceflight will integrate three 1U (10x10x10 cm) spacecraft in a single ISIPOD 3U DISPENSER. Under a second contract with a commercial customer, Spaceflight will integrate one 3U (10x10x34 cm) spacecraft in a single ISIPOD.

Spaceflight reached a separate agreement with Orbital Sceinces Corporation to carry the small spacecraft as SECONDARY PAYLOAD into orbit aboard the "CYGNUS" mass simulator that will be launched in the test flight. The test flight of the Antares is being conducted by Orbital as part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.

Origin: paranormal-factor.blogspot.com