Remarkably, that the first stage of the rocket has been designed and manufactured by the Ukrainian State Enterprises Pivdennyi Machine-Building Plant and Pivdenne Design Bureau. These Ukrainian companies signed a long-term contract until 2018 with an American company Orbital Sciences Corporation. Funding for the program in amount of $1.9 billion is provided by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Successful launch of Antares opens the way for its regular flights into space. At least 8 launches to supply cargo to the International Space Station scheduled for the period of up to 2016.

The launch ceremony was preceded by a series of events, attended by Ambassador of Ukraine Olexander Motsyk, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, management of the Orbital Sciences Corporation, delegations of the State Space Agency of Ukraine, Pivdennyi Machine-Building Plant and Pivdenne Design Bureau. During the meeting the parties discussed future prospects of the Antares program and new areas of the Ukrainian-American cooperation in space-related activities.

The next regular launch of the Antares to deliver cargo to the International Space Station has been scheduled for the summer of 2013.

Successful launch of the Antares rocket is a historic step for further development of Ukrainian-American cooperation in the space industry as well as an important part of the strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States.

Antares project is also an example of successful international cooperation between Ukraine, the United States and the Russian Federation.

Image of NASA

In the photo: space rocket Antares

Reference

Antares space launch vehicle is a project developed by the American company Orbital Sciences Corporation with the participation of contractor companies: State Enterprises of Ukraine Pivdennyi Machine-Building Plant and Pivdenne Design Bureau, Aerojet (USA), ATK (USA), and others.

NASA has involved the Orbital Sciences Corporation under the partnership agreement to participate in the creation of commercial delivery vehicles into orbit. The main purpose of Antares is to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. The contract to create the program «Antares» cost 1.9 billion US dollars.

Antares is a two-stage liquid propellant launch vehicle, which is designed to launch payloads up to 7,000 kg into Earth’s low orbit.

The first stage of Antares designed by the Ukrainian Pivdenne Design Bureau and produced by the Pivdennyi Machine-Building Plant. These enterprises work under long-term contract concluded with Orbital Sciences Corporation in 2008 until 2019. GP Pivdenne Design Bureau developed and controlled the manufacture of fuel tanks, high pressure tanks, valves, sensors, fuel supply system and supply pipes, wires and other related equipment of the first stage rocket booster.

The first stage equipped with two rocket engines AJ-26-62 supplied by American company Aerojet. These engines are built on NK-33 model provided by the Russian company Kuznetsov Design Bureau and developed in 1970s for the super-heavy rockets H-1which were designed for then- Soviet Union lunar exploration program.

The second stage features a solid rocket motor Castor-30 which has been developed by an American company «ATK».

Antares specification:

Height - 40 m

Case diameter - 3.9 m

The total starting weight – 290.000 kg

Fuel components - liquid oxygen, kerosene