Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket returned to flight with a new look following a two year long reconfiguration to incorporate RD-181 first stage engines. The launch took place on October 17th from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Virginia.
This was the sixth flight of the Antares using VACCO supplied Check Valves, High and Low Pressure Latch Valves, Service Valves and Filters.
Antares was developed to launch Orbital’s Cygnus spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station, part of NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. The Antares rocket first flew in April 2013 carrying a mass simulator designed to mimic a Cygnus vehicle along with four CubeSats.
