Description: Antares is a medium-lift rocket designed and built by Northrop Grumman for launching payloads into low Earth orbit (LEO). It is primarily used to transport cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program.
First Launch: April 21, 2013
Key Features:
- Antares uses a combination of solid and liquid-fueled engines.
- Designed for cargo delivery to the ISS.
- The rocket’s second stage is powered by an RD-181 engine, a Russian-made engine, while the first stage is powered by a modified AJ26 engine.
- The Cygnus spacecraft is typically used for cargo missions, launched atop Antares.
- The rocket is capable of carrying 8,000 kg of cargo to the ISS in its largest configuration.
