Antares / launch vehicle
sourcingtypical 4/5 · 10 factsAntares known during early development as Taurus II, is an expendable launch system developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (now part of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems after Northrop Grumman acquired Orbital ATK) and the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau to launch the Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's COTS and CRS programs. Able to launch payloads heavier than 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) into low-Earth orbit, Antares is the largest rocket operated by Orbital ATK. Antares launches from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and made its inaugural flight on April 21, 2013.
key details
faq
Who builds Antares?
Antares is built by Northrop Grumman Space Systems. (source, as of 2026-07-05)
How many times has Antares flown?
Antares has flown 18 times. (source, as of 2026-07-05)
When did Antares first fly?
Antares first flew on 2013-04-21. (source, as of 2026-07-05)
Is Antares reusable?
Antares is not reusable. (source, as of 2026-07-05)
facts
timeline
- 20222022-08-17Northrop Grumman teams with Firefly Aerospace to build all-US Antares 330 first stage (source, as of 2026-07-12)
- 20162016-10-17Antares returns to flight with upgraded 230 configuration after 2014 failure (source, as of 2026-07-12)
- 20142014-10-28Antares suffers launch mishap on Orb-3 resupply mission (source, as of 2026-07-12)
- 20132013-04-21Antares completes maiden flight from Wallops Flight Facility (source, as of 2026-07-12)