Antares (rocket)

Antares
Size
The launch of an Antares 110 rocket
Function	Medium expendable launch system
Manufacturer	Orbital ATK (main) Yuzhnoye Design Bureau (sub)
Country of origin	United States
Project cost	$472 million until 2012
Height	110/120: 40.5 m (133 ft) 130: 41.9 m (137 ft) 230: 42.5 m (139 ft)
Diameter	3.9 m (13 ft)
Mass	100 series: 282,000–296,000 kg (622,000–653,000 lb) 230: 298,000 kg (657,000 lb)
Stages	2 to 3
Capacity
Payload to LEO	6,120 kg (13,490 lb)
Associated rockets
Comparable	Delta II
Launch history
Status	100-series: retired 200-series: operational 300-series: planned/development
Launch sites	MARS LP-0A
Total launches	6 (110: 2, 120: 2, 130: 1, 230: 1)
Successes	5 (110: 2, 120: 2, 130: 0, 230: 1)
Failures	1 (130: 1)
First flight	110: April 21, 2013 120: January 9, 2014 130: October 28, 2014 230: October 17, 2016
Last flight	110: September 18, 2013 120: July 13, 2014 130: October 28, 2014 230: October 17, 2016
Notable payloads	Cygnus

First stage (Antares 100-series)
Empty mass	18,700 kg (41,200 lb)
Gross mass	260,700 kg (574,700 lb)
Engines	2 × AJ26-62
Thrust	3,265 kN (734,000 lb_f)
Specific impulse	Sea level: 297 s Vacuum: 331 s
Burn time	235 seconds
Fuel	RP-1/LOX
First stage (Antares 200-series)
Empty mass	20,600 kg (45,400 lb)
Gross mass	262,600 kg (578,900 lb)
Engines	2 × RD-181
Thrust	3,844 kN (864,000 lb_f)
Specific impulse	Sea level: 311.9 s Vacuum: 339.2 s
Burn time	215 seconds
Fuel	RP-1/LOX
Second stage - Castor 30A/B/XL
Gross mass	30A: 14,035 kg (30,942 lb) 30B: 13,970 kg (30,800 lb) 30XL: 26,300 kg (58,000 lb)
Propellant mass	30A: 12,815 kg (28,252 lb) 30B: 12,887 kg (28,411 lb) 30XL: 24,200 kg (53,400 lb)
Thrust	30A: 259 kN (58,200 lb_f) 30B: 293.4 kN (65,960 lb_f) 30XL:
Burn time	30A: 136 seconds 30B: 127 seconds 30XL: 156 seconds
Fuel	TP-H8299/aluminium

Antares (/ænˈtɑːriːz/), known during early development as Taurus II, is an expendable launch system developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (now Orbital ATK) to launch the Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's COTS and CRS programs. Able to launch payloads heavier than 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) into low-Earth orbit, Antares is the largest rocket operated by Orbital ATK. Antares launches from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and made its inaugural flight on April 21, 2013.

NASA awarded Orbital a Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Space Act Agreement (SAA) in 2008 to demonstrate delivery of cargo to the International Space Station. For these COTS missions Orbital intends to use Antares to launch its Cygnus spacecraft. In addition, Antares will compete for small-to-medium missions. Originally designated the Taurus II, Orbital Sciences renamed the vehicle Antares, after the star of the same name, on December 12, 2011.

The first four Antares launch attempts were successful. During the fifth launch on October 28, 2014, the rocket failed catastrophically, and the vehicle and payload were destroyed. The failure was traced to a fault in the first stage engines. After completion of a redesign program, the rocket had a successful return to flight on October 17, 2016, delivering cargo to the ISS.

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