[SatNews] Frank Culbertson, who is the Senior V.P. and APG General Manager, took some flicks lately of the Wallops Island Launch Development for Orbital Sciences' Taurus II facility... direct from the Company website, thought we'd share, especially in light of the delay by Yuzhmash (Ukraine) in delivering parts for the launch vehicle's first stage.



It is quite evident that a great deal of work has been completed and substantial progress continues to made on the Taurus II launch facilities. In addition to what we’re informed is the world’s tallest water tower, the top photo shows Pad 0B where the Minotaur rockets will be launched in the foreground, the construction of Pad 0A for Taurus II, and the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF), where the Taurus II stages will be integrated and mated to the payloads in the background. The bottom photo shows the HIF superstructure in place — the HIF is nearly a football field long. The main bay area is about 100 feet wide and over 60 feet high, and is designed to accommodate the processing of two Taurus II vehicles at a time. For further information, head over to the Orbital Sciences homepage with this direct link.