Jason Davis • Apr 22, 2013
Antares sails test payload into orbit
After a handful of weather delays and an Ethernet cable-induced scrub, Orbital Sciences Corporation's Antares rocket finally made it off the launch pad. The rocket's maiden voyage appeared to go off without a hitch, culminating with the successful insertion of a payload meant to simulate the Cygnus spacecraft into orbit. This paves the way for a full-fledged demo flight to the International Space Station, which Orbital says may come later this year.
Here are a few scenes from the launch:
![Antares rises from the pad](https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_2400x1600_crop_center-center_82_line/20150727_antares-launch-21apr2013.jpg 2400w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_1200x800_crop_center-center_82_line/20150727_antares-launch-21apr2013.jpg 1200w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_768x512_crop_center-center_60_line/20150727_antares-launch-21apr2013.jpg 768w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_576x384_crop_center-center_60_line/20150727_antares-launch-21apr2013.jpg 576w)
![AJ-26 engines roar to life](https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_2400x1919_crop_center-center_82_line/20150727_antares-launch-21apr2013-2.jpg 2400w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_1200x959_crop_center-center_82_line/20150727_antares-launch-21apr2013-2.jpg 1200w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_768x614_crop_center-center_60_line/20150727_antares-launch-21apr2013-2.jpg 768w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_576x460_crop_center-center_60_line/20150727_antares-launch-21apr2013-2.jpg 576w)
![Virginia is for rockets](https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_1200x899_crop_center-center_82_line/20130422_antares-a-one-coast.jpg 1200w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_768x575_crop_center-center_60_line/20130422_antares-a-one-coast.jpg 768w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_576x431_crop_center-center_60_line/20130422_antares-a-one-coast.jpg 576w)
![Solid in space](https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_1200x882_crop_center-center_82_line/20130422_antares-a-one-stage2.jpg 1200w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_768x564_crop_center-center_60_line/20130422_antares-a-one-stage2.jpg 768w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_576x423_crop_center-center_60_line/20130422_antares-a-one-stage2.jpg 576w)
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