Successful Taurus II second stage ground test

Artist's rendering of Taurus II on the launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility, VA

Orbital Sciences Corp. has Begus development testing for the medium-Ccass Taurus II launch vehicle in preparation for its first flight in 2011. Alliant Techsystems and the U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) successfully ground tested the second stage motor of the Taurus II at AEDC in Tennessee.

The solid-fuel CASTOR 30 motor, supplied to by ATK Space Systems was test fired for around 150 seconds, producing 72,000 lbs. of max thrust. To accurately test performance the static fire test was conducted in a vacuum chamber designed to simulate conditions at over 30 kilometers altitude.

"We are very pleased with the results. The Castor 30 motor performed according to the specifications built into the design of the Taurus II rocket," said Brent Collins, Orbital's Taurus II Program Manager. "The ground test of the Castor 30 motor is the first major event in the testing phase of the Taurus II development program, having completed the engineering design and procurement work over the past year and a half."

"In addition to the second stage testing, we will soon begin the testing process for the rocket's liquid fuel first stage at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi."

Orbital discusses 2011 Taurus II launch plans with Wallops Island community

Notional launch of Orbital Taurus II Medium-Class Launch Vehicle, now rescheduled for Spring 2011, from Wallops Island, Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Spaceport. (Orbital Sciences Corporation Taurus II Fact Sheet)

Carol Vaughn
Staff Writer
Delmarvanow.com

Accomac - Orbital Sciences Corp. launch site manager Norm Bobczynski appeared before the Accomack County Board of Supervisors for the first time Wednesday to update the county about progress on Orbital's Taurus II rocket project at Wallops Island.

Bobczynski, a Norfolk native, has worked for decades in the space industry, including in the Atlas rocket program and most recently for Orbital's competitor SpaceX. He began work at Orbital in June 2008, the same week the company committed to using Wallops Island as the launch site for its Taurus II rocket, which will carry cargo to the International Space Station in eight contracted missions between 2011 and 2015.

An initial demonstration flight previously scheduled for December 2010 is now expected to happen in spring 2011.

Bobczynski said the company has the capability to launch more than those missions NASA has contracted for and expects to get more business from the Department of Defense and other commercial missions after it completes an initial launch of Taurus II successfully.

"It is important to Orbital Sciences Corp. to have a good working relationship with the community," Bobczynski said, adding that the company hopes to provide good jobs in the future.

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