Orbital ATK rocket launches successfully on ISS resupply mission
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.0210157
Space.com : On 17 October an Orbital ATK rocket blasted off at 7:45pm EDT from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia. Its uncrewed Cygnus cargo capsule is carrying 2300 kg of science experiments, hardware, and other supplies to the astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). The successful launch was especially important for Orbital ATK because its last Antares rocket had exploded on the pad two years ago. Clear night skies allowed the launched rocket to be visible along the US East Coast, from Boston to South Carolina. Because of weather and issues with a ground support cable, the Cygnus spacecraft’s launch had been delayed by several days. The craft’s arrival at the ISS will now coincide with that of a Russian capsule carrying three astronauts, so Cygnus will have to wait to dock.
