Orbital ATK has launched a new cargo resupply mission to the orbiting International Space Station (ISS) on behalf of Nasa from the Space Launch Complex site at Cape Canaveral, Florida, US.
As part of the mission, Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft was launched, along with more than 7,600lb of cargo, including food, clothing, crew supplies, spare parts, laboratory equipment and scientific experiments.
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Sent aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket, the mission is the fourth flight to use an enhanced Cygnus spacecraft, and the third using the Atlas V launch system.
Scheduled to reach the ISS by 22 April, the latest flight was Orbital ATK’s seventh cargo delivery mission to the station.
Cygnus will remain at the space station until July, following which it will commence its destructive re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean and dispose 1,500kg of trash from the ISS.
Conducted under Nasa’s commercial resupply services contract, the mission will support dozens of new and existing investigations that will contribute to around 250 science and research studies.
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By GlobalDataThe new experiments will cover studies on cancer-fighting drugs, crystal growth and atmospheric reentry.
Orbital ATK space systems group president Frank Culbertson said: “Today’s successful launch reflects the remarkable efforts of our Orbital ATK team, which has now delivered its fourth Cygnus to the space station in little over a year from two different launch locations."
The company also noted that its Cygnus system features a common service module and pressurised cargo module.
The enhanced version of Cygnus uses Orbital ATK’s new lightweight, space-qualified, electrical power technology, UltraFlex solar arrays.
Image: Orbital ATK’s new cargo delivery flight to the ISS launched from Space Launch Complex in Florida, US. Photo: courtesy of Nasa TV.
