Bad weather forces NASA to delay Cygnus spacecraft launch

Cygnus also will deliver replacement cargo items including a set of Microsoft HoloLens devices for use in NASA’s Sidekick project, a safety jet pack astronauts wear during spacewalks known as SAFER, and high pressure nitrogen and oxygen tanks to plug into the station’s air supply network.

Today, the Cygnus spacecraft will be carried by an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41, toward the International Space Station.

It will be interesting to see if the space spacecraft takes off on Friday as current weather forecasts have predicted only 30% chances of favorable weather conditions. ULA’s launch window Friday opens at 5:33 p.m., and again extends 30 minutes.

The rocket and Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship began rolling just after 10 a.m. Wednesday atop a transporter about one-third of a mile from a processing tower to the pad.

Orbital ATK is launching Cygnus under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA, marking the fourth time the private American aerospace manufacturer will conduct a contracted mission to the International Space Station.

The United Launch Alliance rocket will transport 7,400 pounds of space station supplies packed into the Cygnus capsule.

If no other supplies reach the station, the crew will hit reserve supplies of food in April 2016, NASA said.

Orbital’s last grocery run ended in a fiery explosion seconds after liftoff in October 2014.

Orbital ATK is using another company’s rocket for this shipment because its own remains grounded. Slayton is carrying over 3 tons of equipment and supplies for the astronauts on ISS.

Orbital’s rocket men acknowledge being a little nervous about the upcoming launch, even though the Atlas has been around for decades and is a tried and true workhorse. SpaceX, the other supplier, suffered a launch failure in June. The craft is carrying experiments and more supplies, like food, for the crew on board, according to NASA.

“We are pleased that the enhanced Cygnus that bears his name will be able to provide up to 53 percent more in cargo weight to the International Space Station than our previously flown standard version”.