Orbital ATK’s eighth contracted cargo delivery flight to the station successfully launched on an Antares rocket from Pad 0A at Nasa’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia

Orbital ATK has launched a new cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on behalf of Nasa from the Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia, US.

During the mission, an Orbital ATK Antares rocket was used to deliver a Cygnus spacecraft, equipped with around 7,400lb of cargo, to the ISS.

Representing Orbital ATK’s eighth cargo delivery mission to the ISS, the mission is expected to reach the orbiting station today.

“The mission has seen the use of an improved Cygnus spacecraft in a mission for the fifth time and Orbital ATK’s upgraded Antares rocket for the second time.”

After its arrival, Cygnus will be docked at the ISS until 4 December, depart the station and deploy a number of CubeSats before making a fiery re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere to dispose of several tons of trash.

The mission has seen the use of an improved Cygnus spacecraft in a mission for the fifth time and Orbital ATK’s upgraded Antares rocket for the second time.

It will also support various new and existing investigations being carried out onboard the ISS to contribute to 250 science and research studies.

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In the latest flight, Cygnus carried the E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) mission, which is designed to investigate the effect of microgravity on the antibiotic resistance of E. coli, a bacterial pathogen responsible for urinary tract infection in humans and animals.

The spacecraft has also carried the Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) project that will study high-speed optical transmission of data and small spacecraft proximity operations.

Among other missions, Cygnus carried the Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis (Biological Nitrogen Fixation) investigation that will examine the effect of low-gravity conditions on the nitrogen fixation process of Microclover, a resilient and drought tolerant legume.