Orbital ATK Cygnus Successful Launch to International Space Station

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NASA’s Atlas program, Orbital ATK Cygnus rocket hauling supplies to the Space Station was a success.

The rocket was set for a Thursday launch but NASA had to keep moving up the date due to high winds in Florida’s Cape Canaveral.

Sunday, it was a go-a perfect launch. The ATK Cygnus rocket will reach the ISS in about 16 hours. December 11th it will be returning back to Earth.

The Cygnus spacecraft is an American automated cargo spacecraft developed by Orbital ATK as part of NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services(COTS) developmental program. It is launched by Orbital’s Antares rocket or Atlas V and is designed to transport supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) following the retirement of the American Space Shuttle.

Since August 2000 ISS resupply missions have been regularly flown by Russian Progress spacecraft, as well as by the European Automated Transfer Vehicle, and the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle. With the Cygnus spacecraft and the SpaceX Dragon, NASA seeks to increase its partnerships with domestic commercial aviation and aeronautics industry.^[

Cygnus is the Latinized Greek word for swan and a northern constellation.

 

Caught something good on the horizon. #Cygnus at #sunset on its way to @space_station! #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/D3EVQUhxR6

— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) December 6, 2015