NASA CRS-19 Antares Rocket & Cygnus Spacecraft Launch: ISS Cargo Resupply

NASA CRS-19 Antares Rocket & Cygnus Spacecraft Launch: ISS Cargo Resupply

A Cygnus cargo spacecraft is on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) after a successful Aug. 1, 2023, launch for NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services CRS-19 mission at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia. A Northrop Grumman Antares 230+ rocket lifted off at 8:31 p.m. ET placing the Cygnus spacecraft into orbit. The Cygnus was named the “S.S. Laurel Clark” in honor of this NASA astronaut that died aboard the Feb. 1, 2003, space shuttle flight STS-107. Cygnus is scheduled to arrive at the station early Friday, Aug. 4.

The CRS-19 mission is carrying 3,785 kilograms of cargo. This includes 1,590 kilograms of crew supplies, 1,128 kilograms of scientific payload and 948 kilograms of vehicle hardware. The Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the station for at least three months before departing with trash to be disposed through destructive reentry.

This launch was the final flight of the current version of the Antares rocket, designated Antares 230+. It uses a first stage built by Ukraine’s Yuzhnoye State Design Office and Yuzhmash Machine Building plant and RD-181 engines from the Russian company NPO Energomash. Northrop Grumman announced nearly a year ago plans to develop a new first stage in partnership with Firefly Aerospace. This vehicle, called Antares 330, is now scheduled to make its debut in mid-2025.

Image Credit: NASA/Terry Zaperach

Caption Credit: SpaceNews

Release Date: Aug. 1, 2023

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