The Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module is carried atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket as it launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Orbital ATK's seventh commercial resupply services mission, CRS-7, will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the International Space Station.
Liftoff was at 11:11 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. At about 6:05 a.m. EDT on Saturday, April 22, Expedition 51 astronauts Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) and Peggy Whitson of NASA will use the space station’s robotic arm to grapple Cygnus, which will be installed on the Unity module.
Photo Credit: NASA/Tony Gray and Sandra Joseph
- NASA
Orbital ATK is a primary competitor with SpaceX for provisioning the International Space Station and the last SpaceX was only days ago. This is the coolest space race since the Sixties and it's even cooler when there are multiple players. Back then it was just the inane Us and Them but now Them help has been helping NASA with ISS provisioning for years while more competitors pop up all over the place.
CIA Alert: all that help Russia provided with Soyuz orbiters to take astronauts to the ISS after the shuttle program tanked was just an insidious plot and part of a conspiracy to undermine America. Now you know. Be ever vigilant out there.
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