Orbital Sciences Successfully Launches To The Space Station

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Orbital Sciences Successfully Launches To The Space Station
Orbital Sciences Cygnus cargo ship is on its way to the International Space Station for the second time.
Alex Knapp, Forbes Staff  |  1/10/2014 @ 12:28AM



(Image Credit: NASA)



At 1:07pm EST on  Thursday, Orbital Sciences‘ Antares rocket successfully launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

On top of the Antares was Orbital’s Cygnus spacecraft, which is designed to carry cargo to the International Space Station. This mission is the first of eight resupply missions that Orbital is fulfilling under its $1.9 billion contract with NASA after a successful demonstration flight last Fall.

Cygnus is currently moving into position to rendezvous with the International Space Station on Sunday morning. At approximately 6:02am, the space station crew will use the station’s robotic arm to grapple the Cygnus craft and move it into position to berth with the station.

Cygnus is carrying 2,780 pounds of supplies to the station, including equipment for several scientific experiments to be performed by the station’s crew.

“It was another excellent launch of Antares, and so far, our first CRS mission is off to a great start with Cygnus operating exactly as anticipated at this early stage of the mission,” said Orbital’s President and CEO David Thompson in a statement.


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