spacetoday.net: ISS coolant problem delays Cygnus launch

Posted: Sun, Dec 15, 2013, 10:02 AM ET (1502 GMT)
Cygnus departs ISS on 1st mission (NASA)

NASA and Orbital Sciences announced Saturday that the launch of a Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) will be delayed at least a day to allow more time to troubleshoot a coolant loop problem on the station. The launch of the Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus spacecraft has been delayed to no earlier than December 19 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia. Orbital said it delayed the loading of the last cargo items into the Cygnus spacecraft at the direction of NASA as the space agency works to resolve a problem with a pump on one of two coolant loops on the station. The mission, designated Orb-1, is the first of eight cargo missions by Cygnus to the ISS under Orbital's current contract with NASA. The current launch window for this mission runs through next weekend.