Orbital ATK is one of the two commercial companies hired by NASA after the space shuttles were retired to fly cargo to the ISS.On October 28, 2014 the orbital ATK spacecraft meant for such resupply mission exploded on the Launch pad during take-off. NASA said there is a 30 percent chance of favourable weather for Saturday’s launch.
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But weather again will pose a challenge, with forecasters projecting a 30 percent chance of favorable conditions for a 5:10 p.m. liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, at the opening of a 30-minute launch window.
But gusty wind interfered after an earlier launch attempt was rained out. The launch was supposed to happen yesterday, but had to be postponed to today due to adverse weather conditions.
MIAMI, United States-Orbital ATK will attempt to make it third time lucky Saturday in the launch of its Cygnus space cargo ship after high winds off Florida forced a second postponement in as many days. The mission also marks the debut of the enhanced Cygnus, which will carry approximately 7,700 pounds (3,500 kilograms) of cargo to astronauts aboard the space station.
NASA’s other contracted shipper, SpaceX, has been grounded since a failed launch in June. Orbital’s newest Cygnus capsule – named after the swan constellation – holds food, clothes, Christmas presents, spacewalking gear, high-pressure nitrogen and oxygen tanks for the air supply, and science experiments.
Since April’s USA supply run, Russian Federation and Japan have managed to fill the gap, but the 250-mile-high pantry isn’t as full as it should be.
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Orbital plans to launch another of United Launch Alliance’s Atlas rockets in March, then return its own Antares rocket to flight from Virginia in May. The California company expects to resume deliveries in January with its Falcon rockets.
