Author: Steven Siceloff

Working inside a 30-minute launch window, the launch team is now targeting 5:48:12 p.m. EST as they assess the issue that prompted the hold.

Terminal phase of the countdown has begun for the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket and Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft.

The launch teams gave their final “go” for the Atlas booster, Centaur upper stage the Cygnus spacecraft for liftoff at 5:33:12 p.m. EST. The countdown will resume at 5:29 p.m. at T-4 minutes.

The Cygnus systems have completed the transfer to internal power and the spacecraft is go for launch, Orbital ATK’s Frank Culbertson reported to the launch team at United Launch Alliance’s Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center at Cape Canaveral, seen below.

 

The Cygnus spacecraft is switching to its on-board batteries for electrical power through the rest of the countdown and launch into space. Once in orbit, the enhanced Cygnus will unfurl a pair of circular solar arrays that will recharge the spacecraft’s systems.

The weather board is green right now but forecasters are watching out for gusting winds so the forecast conditions remain 40 percent chance of ‘go’ at launch time, Clay Finn, launch weather officer for the Air Force’s 45th Weather Squadron, advised the launch teams. The countdown is moving toward a 5:33 p.m. EST liftoff.

With the countdown at T-4 minutes, the clock has paused for 30 minutes. The weather briefing is coming up in a few minutes. Forecast remains 40 percent ‘go.’

The Cygnus flying today is a larger version than previous versions Orbital ATK built. This one carries 25 percent more mass and is more than 20 feet long. It is taking 7,383 pounds of supplies such as food and clothing, along with scientific equipment and other gear for different aspects of spaceflight to the International Space Station during this mission. Here’s a look at what is to take place as the uncrewed Cygnus flies itself to the station where the astronauts there will grab it and connect it to the orbiting laboratory.