Jane Edwards
NASA has moved from Oct. 13 to Oct. 16 the launch of an Orbital ATK-built Cygnus spacecraft due to tropical storm Nicole.
Cygnus is initially scheduled to launch Thursday aboard Orbital ATK’s Antares 230 rocket to deliver approximately 5,100 pounds of crew supplies and research equipment to the International Space Station under the company’s Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA.
The space agency said Wednesday that a team at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia will carry out damage assessments and mission readiness tests once the storm has passed Bermuda, where NASA’s tracking station for the launch is based.
NASA said it will perform two pre-launch broadcasts on Oct. 15 and offer a live coverage of the mission on Oct. 16 through the agency’s website and television channel once the spacecraft takes off from its launch pad at 8:03 p.m. Eastern time.
