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Cygnus CRS-1

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description Cygnus CRS-1 Overview

Cygnus CRS-1 was a 2014 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) conducted by Orbital Sciences. It represented the first operational flight of the Cygnus automated cargo spacecraft under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract. Launched atop an Antares rocket, the spacecraft successfully delivered thousands of pounds of supplies and scientific experiments to the orbiting laboratory. The mission demonstrated the viability of commercial spaceflight logistics for ISS support.

help Cygnus CRS-1 FAQ

What was the primary objective of the Cygnus CRS-1 mission?

Cygnus CRS-1 was the first operational commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station under NASA's contract with Orbital Sciences. Its goal was to deliver over 5,000 pounds of cargo, including science experiments and crew supplies.

Did the Cygnus CRS-1 mission successfully reach the International Space Station?

No, the mission failed catastrophically when its Antares rocket exploded seconds after liftoff from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on October 28, 2014. The rocket and all its cargo were destroyed before the Cygnus spacecraft could reach orbit.

What caused the destruction of the Antares rocket during the Cygnus CRS-1 launch?

The failure was traced to one of the rocket's first-stage Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ26 engines, which are reconditioned Soviet-era NK-33 engines. A turbo pump explosion caused a massive fire that forced range safety to initiate a self-destruct sequence.

How did Orbital Sciences handle the loss of the CRS-1 cargo and spacecraft?

Orbital Sciences accelerated the development of an upgraded Antares rocket with new RD-181 engines to prevent future failures. In the meantime, they contracted United Launch Alliance to fly a Cygnus spacecraft on an Atlas V rocket to fulfill their resupply obligations.

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