Successful docking of the Cygnus capsule to the ISS Orbital - TF1

The unmanned Cygnus U.S. company Orbital Sciences, successfully launched Thursday its first supply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) capsule docked Sunday at the pre- orbital position. Cygnus has been captured by the robotic arm of the station, Canadarm2, operated from the inside by two of the six crew ISS members, and after a difficult final approach began some hours before.

study the behavior of ants in microgravity

Cygnus Book 1260 pounds of scientific equipment for experiments which, among other ants to observe their behavior in microgravity, as well as material for the study of microbial resistance to antibiotics. The occupants of the ISS, three Russians, two Americans and one Japanese, begin in the coming days to transfer the cargo to the ISS and Cygnus load with 1.8 tonnes of waste and used equipment. Cygnus, which will remain docked at the station until February 18, then undock and be destroyed by falling into the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Unlike Dragon capsule company SpaceX, Cygnus can not return to Earth. Initially planned for December, the launch of Cygnus from the center of Wallops Flight, located on an island near the coast of Virginia (east), was once postponed to January 8 due to the replacement, considered urgent late December, a faulty ammonia pump on one of the two cooling circuits of the space station. The repair was carried out by two astronauts during two spacewalks just before Christmas. The flight was then delayed for 24 hours on Thursday after solar flares Tuesday had created magnetic radiation may affect electronic systems of the Antares launcher.

Strengthen partnerships with the private

This is the fifth flight of a private spaceship to the ISS. Orbital Sciences is one of two American firms, with SpaceX to have been chosen by the U.S. space agency to supply the orbiting outpost. Orbital Sciences had already made a demonstration flight to the ISS in September. NASA is betting on partnerships in the private sector to reduce the access to LEO cost. Under a contract of $ 1.9 billion with Orbital Sciences, the firm must deliver 20 tons of cargo to the ISS during eight flights scheduled until early 2016, three in 2014. SpaceX has already made his next three missions to the station with its Dragon capsule, two cargo delivery under a contract of $ 1.6 billion with NASA. It must still carry ten cargo flights to the ISS by 2015. SpaceX Dragon launch with its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral base in Florida (southeast).