Cygnus Spacecraft Launch to ISS Cancelled Over Bad Weather

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 will launch the Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft on the initial leg of its cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

The launch scheduled for early evening was scrubbed Thursday because of poor weather conditions.

Additionally, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket blew up shortly after leaving the ground in June this year.

The Cygnus that was supposed to launch Thursday, which is named Deke Slayton II after the former NASA astronaut, is packed with about 7,700 lbs.

(AP Photo/John Raoux). A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket stands ready for launch with cargo for delivery to the International Space Station on launch complex 41at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015, in Cape Canaveral, F… Two private companies contracted by NASA to replenish the orbiting lab are stuck on Earth with grounded rockets.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 will launch Orbital ATK’s Cygnus™ spacecraft on the initial leg of its cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

This time, the Cygnus spacecraft will deliver about 3,500 kilograms of cargo, including food and Christmas gifts to the space station.

The writing had been on the wall as soon as the weather briefing had been conducted however, with the weather officer stating that even the prediction of weather conditions providing only a 10 percent chance of favorable conditions for launch as being “optimistic”.

If today’s launch try for Cygnus lifts off on time, the craft will rendezvous with the International Space Station on Monday (Dec. 7). The rain was gone and the clouds thinner Friday, but wind gusts close to 30 knots twice exceeded the safety limit just minutes before liftoff, ultimately pushing the spacecraft past its 30-minute launch window. NASA normally likes to have a six-month stash of food aboard the space station, but it’s down a couple months because of the three failed flights. Orbital is competing against privately owned Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, and Sierra Nevada Corp for follow-on station cargo delivery contracts, now due to be awarded in January. A second Atlas will make a supply run for Orbital in March, before the Antares is back in business.