Governor McAuliffe Announces Multi-Year Contract for
Commercial Space Flight in Virginia
Governor Terry McAuliffe along with U.S. Senators Mark Warner
and Tim Kaine announced earlier in January that NASA awarded a new
multiyear contract to Orbital ATK, a Virginia based company, to deliver cargo
and supplies to the International Space Station from spaceports, including the
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) located at Wallops Island.
The collaboration of Virginia and space exploration will
allow NASA to continue an important contract that brings our state to the
national forefront in the commercial space business. This will create jobs and
strengthen Virginia’s new economy.
The next launch from MARS is scheduled in late May or
June. Orbital ATK will return to flight
using an upgraded Antares launch vehicle featuring new engines to send a
payload to the International Space Station.
Payloads may include supplies, materials for scientific experiments,
equipment and other items that are used by the astronauts in the space
station. The items support the space
station, research and exploration.
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) is collocated at
the NASA Wallops Flight Facility on the eastern shore of Virginia. Virginia Space, which owns and operates MARS
for the commonwealth, partners with NASA to provide access to launch facilities
and services. Virginia Space owns and
operates the launch pads while NASA provides payload processing, integration
facilities, range support, and telemetry services.