NASA Prepares for Resupply Mission Rocket Launch to the Space Station

NASA has announced that they are in the final stages of preparation for a rocket launch of the Cygnus cargo spacecraft on a mission to resupply the International Space Station (ISS). NASA TV will carry the live video of the launch, which can also be watched online via the NASA television video stream, on Tuesday Jan 7.

Orbital Sciences is controlling the launch of the Cygnus atop an Antares rocket. The company is one of the contractors currently working with NASA in their new commercial space program initiative.

Watch live streaming online video of NASA TV and the rocket launch here:


The launch is scheduled for 1:55 p.m. EST, as the Antares rocket lifts off from Pad 0A of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia and carries the Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS.

Prior to the launch, NASA TV will broadcast briefings from Wallops Monday, Jan. 6, previewing the mission’s science cargo and pre-launch status at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. EST, respectively.

On its mission, the Cygnus spacecraft will take about 2,780 pounds of supplies to the ISS. Among the supplies and cargo are some vital science experiments to expand the research capability of the Expedition 38 crew members.

Along with other crew provisions, spare parts and experiment hardware, the resupply mission will also bring 23 student experiments, that will involve more than 10,000 students on the ground, to the space station.