Antares rocket rolls toward second flight

An Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket arrived at its seaside launch pad on Virginia's Eastern Shore on Friday after a one-mile journey from the rocket's horizontal integration facility.

Riding a heavy-duty transporter, the 13-story rocket left the hangar in the predawn hours Friday and rolled through NASA's Wallops Flight Facility before arriving at launch pad 0A, a complex leased from NASA and operated by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.

The rocket was hoisted upright later Friday by hydraulic pistons. Liftoff of the Antares rocket with Orbital's Cygnus cargo spacecraft is scheduled for Sept. 18 on a flight to the International Space Station.

See our Mission Status Center for the latest news on the mission.

Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.

Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.

Credit: NASA/Brea Reeves

Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.

Credit: Orbital Sciences Corp.

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