NASA wants Orbital ATK to switch back to Atlas V (for now)

[Mitchz95]

 

Edited November 4, 2016 by Mitchz95
fixed tag

[Bill Phil]

Yeah... The new Antares is essentially a whole new rocket. I wouldn't depend on it just yet.

[Streetwind]

2 hours ago, Bill Phil said:

Yeah... The new Antares is essentially a whole new rocket. I wouldn't depend on it just yet.

Not really a valid rationale. NASA did depend on Falcon 9, which was a whole new rocket when it started flying CRS contracts; and it became a whole new rocket again (due to upgrades) at least twice since then.

Also, how can a new rocket become less new if you don't fly it?

Further, NASA has signed a binding contract with Orbital ATK which stipulates that Orbital ATK will deliver cargo to the ISS using their own spacecraft and launch vehicle. The Atlas flights were a voluntary extra service by Orbital while Antares was grounded for upgrades.

 

No, if NASA really does want them to continue flying on Atlas, that likely means they spotted something in the telemetry of the recent Antares flight that they don't like. Something that'll require a couple months to fix.

Edited November 4, 2016 by Streetwind

[Jonfliesgoats]

I wonder if there are serviceability issues with Antares?

[Kryten]

This is going to be a schedule risk thing rather than a technical risk thing. Given that Dragon isn't available, and that HTV has been majorly delayed (Oct to Dec), they need to know that they can get at least this cargo up there on time.

[Tullius]

9 minutes ago, Kryten said:

This is going to be a schedule risk thing rather than a technical risk thing. Given that Dragon isn't available, and that HTV has been majorly delayed (Oct to Dec), they need to know that they can get at least this cargo up there on time.

I think that is the real reason: Falcon 9 with Dragon coming back from a half year halt, HTV delayed and Antares not well proven, there is no reliable western transport to ISS available, except Cygnus on Atlas V.

Once, Falcon 9 with Dragon and Antares with Cygnus are getting reasonable reliability statistics, NASA has more than enough options for launching payloads to the ISS, but for the time being, they are still scarce.

[Bill Phil]

13 hours ago, Streetwind said:

Not really a valid rationale. NASA did depend on Falcon 9, which was a whole new rocket when it started flying CRS contracts; and it became a whole new rocket again (due to upgrades) at least twice since then.

Also, how can a new rocket become less new if you don't fly it?

Further, NASA has signed a binding contract with Orbital ATK which stipulates that Orbital ATK will deliver cargo to the ISS using their own spacecraft and launch vehicle. The Atlas flights were a voluntary extra service by Orbital while Antares was grounded for upgrades.

 

No, if NASA really does want them to continue flying on Atlas, that likely means they spotted something in the telemetry of the recent Antares flight that they don't like. Something that'll require a couple months to fix.

NASA doesn't depend on Falcon 9. That's why they have multiple contracts. Plus, it's evolution into other variants was much more thought out. They already knew what it would do. Plus, F9 has flown 25+ times. Antares has flown 5 or 6 times, I think.

And sure, it was a whole new rocket at the time, but they weren't relying on it directly. Plus, it had quite a few tests beforehand.

They're going to fly it, just not in the immediate future for ISS resupply missions.

Yes. And that telemetry anomaly could be a result of the re-engine-ing.

[Phineas Freak]

Also, with Atlas V as the LV you can stuff Cygnus with more payload than Antares (7490 Kg vs 6170 Kg). That means you depend less on any followup resupply mission.

[tater]

5 hours ago, Phineas Freak said:

Also, with Atlas V as the LV you can stuff Cygnus with more payload than Antares (7490 Kg vs 6170 Kg). That means you depend less on any followup resupply mission.

This, as well as what @Kryten said.

ULA needs to have a "when it absolutely, positively, needs to go to space today" ad campaign.