Orbital

Orbital ATK has successfully launched its Cygnus spacecraft with more than 3,500kg of cargo for the International Space Station (ISS) from the launch pad of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, as part of Nasa’s cargo resupply mission.

After three days of delays due to poor weather and high winds, a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carried the spacecraft with food, clothing, computer gear, spacewalk equipment, scientific experiments and other supplies for crews stationed at ISS.

It was Orbital’s fourth cargo resupply mission under a contract, Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) with Nasa, valued at $1.9bn.

Nasa deputy administrator Dava Newman said: "As we celebrate Orbital ATK’s success with its fourth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station, we look forward to the next milestones of our other commercial partners, including commercial crew launches from American soil in the near future.

"All these missions are critical to our journey to Mars, a journey we have already begun."

Since April last year, no freighters from the US have been able to send supplies to ISS.

"All these missions are critical to our journey to Mars, a journey we have already begun."

Nasa’s cargo resupply mission has been put on hold, following a failed attempt by Orbital’s Antares rocket in October and SpaceX’s attempt in June.

Nasa has contracted Orbital and SpaceX to conduct its cargo resupply missions.

Orbital ATK space system group president Frank Culbertson said: "This launch marks the completion of the critical first step of our go-forward plan for the CRS-1 contract to meet our commitments to Nasa.

"Everything looks great in this early stage of the mission."

Cygnus is expected to reach ISS by 9 December. After remaining for approximately 50 days, it will return with 2,300kg (5,050lb) of disposable cargo to Earth.

Orbital expects to operate its own upgraded version of launch vehicle Antares and schedule a full-power hot-fire test by next year.

Under Nasa’s cargo delivery contract, Orbital will deliver 28,000kg of cargo to the ISS over ten missions through 2018.

Image: Orbital ATK’s Cygnus Spacecraft carrying vital cargo to resupply the International Space Station lifts off onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Photo: courtesy of Orbital ATK.