Question 1

What rocket is launching Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.)?

Accepted Answer

Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.) is launching on the Antares 230+.

Question 2

Who is launching Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.)?

Accepted Answer

Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.) is being launched by Northrop Grumman Space Systems, a commercial launch provider founded in 2015.

Question 3

Where is Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.) launching from?

Accepted Answer

Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.) is launching from Launch Area 0 A at Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.) heading to?

Accepted Answer

Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.) is heading to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Question 5

Is the Antares 230+ reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Antares 230+ is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

How many times has the Antares 230+ flown?

Accepted Answer

The Antares 230+ has launched 8 times to date, with 8 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.) mission?

Accepted Answer

This is the 14th planned flight of the Orbital ATK's uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its 13th flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Spacecraft carries the name of Robert Henry Lawrence Jr., honouring USA's first black astronaut.

Question 8

Where is NASA's Wallops Flight Facility?

Accepted Answer

Wallops Flight Facility is NASA's own launch range on Virginia's Eastern Shore, operating since 1945 and managed through Goddard Space Flight Center. It also hosts the commercial Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS).

Question 9

What launches from Wallops?

Accepted Answer

Wallops flies NASA's long-running sounding-rocket programme alongside orbital launches: Northrop Grumman's Cygnus cargo missions to the ISS on the Antares rocket from Pad 0A, Minotaur vehicles from Pad 0B, and Rocket Lab's Electron from Launch Complex 2.

Question 10

Can you watch a launch from Wallops?

Accepted Answer

The NASA Wallops Visitor Center is the designated public viewing area and posts information for each flight. Nearby Chincoteague and the Assateague seashore also give open-horizon views across the water.

Question 11

What was the first orbital launch from Wallops?

Accepted Answer

The first orbital launch from Wallops was TacSat-2, on an Orbital Sciences Minotaur in December 2006. Wallops later launched LADEE, the first deep-space mission to fly from Virginia, in 2013.

Cygnus CRS-2 NG-13 (S.S. Robert H. Lawrence.)

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Launch Area 0 A

Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

Frequently asked questions