Орбитал выпустил сегодня пресс-релиз, в котором были такие фразы:
"While the work of the AIB continues, preliminary evidence and analysis conducted to date points to a probable turbopump-related failure in one of the two Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ26 stage one main engines. As a result,
the use of these engines for the Antares vehicle likely will be discontinued."
Оп-па, приехали. Летать на НК-33 больше не будут вообще. А что со ступенями, которые уже построены? Что с заказом Южмашу?
"To maintain the CRS program’s critical ISS supply line, Orbital plans an early introduction of its previously selected Antares propulsion system upgrade in 2016. This will be preceded by
one or two non-Antares launches of the company’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the ISS in 2015-2016, employing the spacecraft’s compatibility with various launch vehicles and its flexibility to accommodate heavier cargo loads as launcher capacity permits. In addition, the company expects repairs to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) launch complex at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility to be undertaken quickly, allowing launch operations to continue at Wallops Island with the
upgraded Antares beginning in 2016."
Ну ни фига себе. Хотят через полтора года уже пускать с новыми двигателями (предположительно РД-193). Вот это спешка.
-- Revised Approach Will Maintain Required ISS Cargo Deliveries in 2015 and 2016 ---- Accelerated Propulsion System Upgrade of Antares to be Implemented at Wallops --
(Dulles, VA 5 November 2014) – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world’s leading space technology companies, today announced comprehensive plans to fulfill its contract commitments under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program as well as to accelerate an upgrade of the Antares medium-class launcher’s main propulsion system.
// Дальше — www.orbital.com