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Washington (dpa) – Only the software on strike, then was a Soyuz capsule in the way: With a week late, the private space shuttle “Cygnus” the International Space Station reached at its service debut

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The unmanned space capsule had arrived on Sunday at 13.00 clock EST at ISS, said the U.S. space agency Nasa. Started by robot arm, the astronauts aboard the ISS the capsule. On Monday they want with the unloading of approximately 600 kg equipment, including clothing and food to start.

“Cygnus” transporters, on 18 September was started with an Antares rocket from Wallops spaceport Iceland in the U.S. state of Virginia, was expected to dock already last week Sunday at the ISS. But then appeared before the start of the maneuver, the data exchange between the approaching visit and the station – according to Nasa now dissolved – software problem. Then the supply ship had to endure a few days in space: it allowed a Soyuz capsule does not get in the way, which brought three astronauts to the ISS

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NASA chief Charles Bolden evaluated the inaugural flight of “Cygnus” to ISS despite glitch and delay as a “historic milestone”. “We have expanded so that America’s ability to reliably transport cargo into space.” Even David Thompson, head of the company Orbital Sciences, which has developed the “Cygnus” transporters, spoke of a “mission as it is in the book.”

“Cygnus” (Latin for swan) will now remain docked to the ISS for about a month and then with about 750 kg of cargo – plunge into the Pacific – among other refuse. By 2016, Orbital Sciences plans according to the contract with the NASA eight missions to the ISS, where a total of 20,000 kg cargo to be transported.

“Cygnus” transporter is only the second private space freighter docks with the ISS. Developed by SpaceX “Dragon” transporter has two supply flights to the ISS behind. By 2016, at least twelve more are “Dragon”-scheduled flights, the order is worth a total of around 1.6 billion dollars (1.2 billion euros).

Nasa on Twitter

published on 29.09.2013 at 19:13 clock