Close to 200,000 people watched live as Northrop Grumman’s mission successfully launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. The S.S. Laurel Clark Cygnus spacecraft atop the Antares rocket is carrying a new water dispenser, artwork from students around the world, research materials, medical studies and other supplies to the International Space Station. The mission marks the final resupply for the ISS.
The S.S. Laurel Clark is due to dock with the ISS this Friday (Aug. 4). The spacecraft is named for Laurel Clark, NASA astronaut, medical doctor, U.S. Navy captain and Space Shuttle mission specialist. Clark was killed along with her six fellow crew members in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. She was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
“…final resupply for the ISS” sounds a little too…final. Final using the Antares rocket, which has become a victim of supply chain issues with Ukraine-sourced parts.
It is not the final resupply for the ISS, not even for a Cygnus vehicle. It is only the final flight of the Antares 230 series booster.
The Antares 230 booster is (was) built in Ukraine, and the engines in Russia. Thus there are no more to be had.
The Antares 300 series booster is being developed as a replacement by Firefly Aerospace. It is significantly more powerful, but is not available yet.
In the meantime, Cygnus flights will continue, launching on SpaceX Falcon 9s.
Cygnus vehicles have also flown on ULA Atlas Vs in the past, after the spectacular launch failure of the Antares 100 booster. All remaining Atlas Vs are spoken for, and the replacement Vulcan launch vehicle continues to suffer long delays, thus the switch to their competitor’s Falcon 9 for launch, as there are no other options available at present.
“Final resupply for ISS” sounds like the end of ISS. Perhaps a little additional wording and perhaps clarity.