14 DAY TRIAL // In this image released yesterday, January 6, by the American space agency, an Antares rocket can be seen attached to its support brackets at a Virginia launch pad. The delivery system is scheduled to launch tomorrow to the International Space Station.
After delays caused by a glitch with the ISS' cooling system – which required two spacewalks to fix – Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) is now finally ready to launch its first resupply mission to the space lab. This was originally scheduled to occur in mid-December 2013.
Antares carries with it the OSC Cygnus unmanned cargo resupply vehicle, which is bound to reach the ISS within a couple of days. Both spacecraft are currently on Launch Pad 0A, at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, on Wallops Island, Virginia.
This will be Orbital's first of eight resupply missions to the ISS under a contract with NASA. The American space agency also has a contract with California-based SpaceX for a similar number of flights, some of which have already been conducted. If Orbital manages to pull off this flight, then it will start playing with the big boys from now on.