spacetoday.net: Space weather postpones Antares launch to Thursday

Posted: Thu, Jan 9, 2014, 6:00 AM ET (1100 GMT)
Antares on pad before COTS demo launch (Orbital Sciences Corp.)

Orbital Sciences Corporation postponed the launch of a Cygnus cargo mission to the ISS on Wednesday because of concerns about space weather conditions that could affect the Antares rocket. The launch of the Antares carrying the Cygnus spacecraft was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, but was postponed earlier in the day after concerns elevated space radiation conditions caused by a solar flare could affect the rocket's electronics. Late Wednesday, Orbital officials said they planned to go ahead with the launch at 1:07 pm EST (1807 GMT) Thursday after concluding space weather conditions posed an acceptable risk to the launch. The Cygnus spacecraft, carrying cargo to the ISS, is slated to arrive at the station on Sunday assuming an on-time launch Thursday. The mission is the first of eight cargo missions under Orbital's current contract with NASA.