Antares rocket in flawless test flight (pictures)

It was four days late due to a glitch and bad weather, but Orbital Sciences' Antares got off the ground to a flawless test flight ahead of cargo trips for the International Space Station.

Tim Hornyak

April 22, 2013 11:10 a.m. PT

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Orbital Sciences

The Antares rocket

Powered by engines originally developed for Russia's moon program, Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket notched an apparently flawless maiden flight on Sunday after launch from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The 600,000-pound rocket soared into the sky at 5 pm, burning liquid oxygen and kerosene fuel as it climbed toward orbit, where it released a simulated cargo vessel. The flight paves the way for Antares supply missions to the International Space Station, expected to begin in June or July.

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Video scfreenshot by Tim Hornyak/CNET

First stage separation

With Earth in the background, the rocket's first stage falls away around four minutes after launch.

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Video scfreenshot by Tim Hornyak/CNET

Second stage flight

The Antares second-stage solid-fuel motor propelled the vehicle before deploying the mockup Cygnus resupply spacecraft.

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NASA

Moving the first stage

The Antares first stage is rolled out at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility prior to hot-fire testing.

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Orbital Sciences

Cygnus Mass Simulator

This 8,300-pound instrumented mockup of the Cygnus cargo ship was launched about 10 minutes after liftoff at an altitude of 158 miles. Its successful launch into orbit triggered applause in the mission control room.

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Orbital Sciences

Cygnus cargo ship

This illustration shows the unmanned Cygnus resupply spacecraft approaching the International Space Station with its solar arrays deployed. It can carry nearly 6,000 pounds of cargo.