Cygnus spacecraft arrived without issue at International Space Station (ISS) Sunday, January 12, 2014 after Orbital’s Antares rocket successfully launched the unmanned capsule into space Thursday, January 9, 2014.
Astronauts aboard the Station used its robotic arm to capture and attach Cygnus to ISS. The 38 crew members were slated to begin unloading 2,780 pounds of supplies after the hatch opening, which was scheduled for Monday morning. Supplies included vital science experiments, crew provisions, spare parts, and other hardware.
VACCO is proud to have the following hardware components on board Cygnus:
On Thursday, January 9, 2014, Orbital’s Antares rocket successfully launched the unmanned Cygnus capsule toward International Space Station (ISS) beginning its first Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission.
Cygnus will deliver about 2,780 pounds of cargo to the Expedition 38 astronauts and remain attached to the station until February 18th before departing with approximately 2,800 pounds of disposable cargo for a safe, destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean. This CRS Orb1-mission follows the successful demonstration flight, Orb-D1, which was launched September 18, 2013, and ended October 22, 2013.
VACCO is proud to have several hardware components on board Cygnus:
In the spirit of team work and continuous improvement, VACCO Industries is pleased to announce the release of our new Quality Clauses. Through extensive collaboration with our Purchasing and Quality departments, we simplified and condensed VACCO requirements so that our suppliers can easily understand what is expected of them.
Our Purchase Order Quality Clauses and Terms & Conditions clearly define our overall company requirements for companies supplying materials and services to VACCO Industries.
How will this change impact you?
VACCO Industries values the cooperation we receive from our suppliers and contractors, and seeks to promote mutually beneficial relationships.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.
On Monday, November 18, 2013, NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) successfully launched to Mars carried by the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin and has Etched Disc Propellant and Pressurant Filters supplied by VACCO in its Propulsion System.
MAVEN’s mission is to study Mars’ upper atmosphere and find out what happened to the water that was once on the Red Planet. It is scheduled to arrive at Mars on September 22, 2014. Click here for Lockheed Martin's news release about the launch.
On Saturday, November 2, 2013, the Navy christened its newest and most advanced nuclear-attack submarine: the USS North Dakota (SSN 784). The ceremony took place in Groton, Connecticut at the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard.
The 11th ship of the Virginia class submarines, USS North Dakota is scheduled to be commissioned May 31, 2014. SSN-784 has nearly 40 VACCO valves and manifolds—both quiet and non-quiet—aboard. Click here to read more about the Navy’s newest Virginia class sub.
ESCO Fluid Controls, which includes VACCO, PTI and Crissair, recently acquired Canyon Engineering Products, Inc. Located in Valencia, CA, Canyon Engineering develops and supplies fluid control products for the aerospace industry. The acquisition marries the aerospace company to Crissair—also a fluid controls supplier to aerospace— to form a single fluid controls company. Combining the separate entities into one will significantly boost its product line and strengthen its technology base. Click here for more details about the acquisition.
On Wednesday, September 18, 2013, Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket blasted the unmanned Cygnus capsule toward International Space Station (ISS). Its mission was to deliver essential items to the Expedition 36 crew members, including:
Cygnus successfully linked to ISS on Sunday, September 29, 2013. Astronauts used their ship’s huge robot arm to catch hold of the capsule.
Cygnus was expected to dock at ISS a week earlier, but was delayed due to inaccurate navigation data. All was fixed with a software patch. Before continuing its route, the capsule waited for a Russian spacecraft bringing three new astronauts in midweek.
Astronauts worked to install Cygnus on the space station after its early morning capture. The hatch opening was set for early Monday. VACCO is proud to have several hardware components on board Cygnus:
Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is on a 30-day transit to the moon. The spacecraft blasted off from Pad 0B at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA on Friday, Sep 6 at 11:27 pm EDT.
The unmanned probe that LADEE shot into space is on a mission to orbit the moon and gather detailed information about its thin exosphere and lunar dust environment. Information gained will not only help scientists answer long-standing wonders about the moon, but also help understand other planetary bodies with exospheres, like Mercury and some of Jupiter’s bigger moons.
VACCO proudly supplied the following hardware to SS Loral, who built the propulsion for the LADEE spacecraft:
Liftoff for the next Atlas 5 rocket is scheduled for September 25, 2013 at 2:36:a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral, marking United Launch Alliance’s 75th mission. The rocket will carry the Air Force’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite No. 3 into a supersynchronous transfer orbit.
This AEHF satellite is the third in a series of six built by Lockheed Martin, and provides ultra-secure US communications between the president, military commanders and troops. VACCO proudly supplies the following hardware:
To read more about ULA’s 75th mission and the AEHF satellite series, click here.
On August 4, 2013 at 4:48 a.m. Japan Standard Time, the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 4 successfully soared into space with HTV-4 (a cargo transporter) onboard. Its destination is the International Space Station where it will be berthed. VACCO Industries proudly supplied a significant amount of hardware on the payload including:
Click here to watch the successful launch of the H-IIB!
