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Taurus II

Antares
Antares A-ONE launch.2.jpg
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
Size
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 lbf)
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 lbf)
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 lbf)
  • 30B: 293.4 kN (65,960 lbf)
  • 30XL:
Burn time
  • 30A: 136 seconds
  • 30B: 127 seconds
  • 30XL: 156 seconds
Fuel TP-H8299/aluminium

Antares (/ænˈtɑːrz/), 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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