A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket stands ready for a second launch attempt at launch complex 41at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
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60 per cent chance of favourable weather during the launch window.
The rocket awaits different weather today.
The Air Force 45th Weather Squadron is saying there is a 30 percent chance, with clouds and wind being the big concerns.
Should the spacecraft take flight on Friday, the ISS will receive about 7,300 pounds of supplies including; experiments, food, and other necessities for astronauts.
“Atlas V has put satellites in orbit reliably and we are thrilled to be partners both with ULA on the Atlas and with NASA for to fly Cygnus to deliver this important cargo to the space station”, said Dan Tani, a former astronaut who is now Orbital ATK’s senior director of Mission and Cargo Operations. The results could help inform scientists on how to build lighter and more energy efficient life support systems for the space station and future missions into deep space. This new experiment will look into the possible causes of this arterial stiffening, to help protect the health of astronauts and to potentially benefit people on Earth as well. The first component of the space station was launched on November 20, 1998.
This is Orbital Sciences’ fifth launch to the ISS.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirmed the successful launch of Orbital ATK resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on December 3, 2015 by private firm Orbital ATK.
Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket explodes 6 seconds after liftoff, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014, in Virginia.
This time, Orbital ATK is using United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket for the launch, while it upgrades its Antares rocket, which failed due to a problem with its reconditioned Ukrainian engine.
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An unmanned Atlas rocket was poised to lift off at sunset with about 3,550 kilograms of supplies for the International Space Station. Expect the approach and birthing of the spacecraft to be featured on NASA TV.
