Orbital ATK’s return to flight delayed

A rocket launch to supply cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) by American aerospace manufacturer Orbital ATK has been pushed back due to adverse weather conditions. Early Friday afternoon, the forecast improved slightly, with thick clouds still the main concern for the planned 5:33 p.m. liftoff.

SpaceX hopes to return the Falcon 9 to flight later this month with a satellite launch, and then resume ISS flights soon after.

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.

Bad weather forced NASA to delay the launch of an Atlas V rocket and unmanned Cygnus spacecraft on a resupply mission to the International Space Station Thursday.

This would be Orbital ATK’s first launch of a space station resupply capsule since the company’s last rocket blew up on launch in October 2014.

Universe Today reports that the mission will feature “the first ever Atlas V rocket, [which] will launch a commercial Cygnus cargo freighter” to the ISS, which orbits about 220 miles above Earth.

Ukraine-related trade sanctions enacted a year ago ban US military use of the RD-180 engines. Despite the setback of the accident, Orbital said it will be able to fulfill its contract with NASA, partly by moving up the timetable for upgrading its rockets. The Orbital ATK launch live stream coverage begins at 4:30 p.m. EST. HoloLens augmented-reality goggles to assist astronauts aboard the space station.

Cygnus, carrying more than 3,500 kilograms of supplies, equipment and experiments for the ISS, will arrive at the station early December 7 if it launches December 4.

The Antares carried out three station shipments before trouble with the old Russian-built rocket engines doomed the fourth flight. The craft is carrying experiments and more supplies, like food, for the crew on board, according to NASA.