OTD in Space - October 17: Antares Rocket Returns to Flight

On Oct. 17, 2016, Orbital ATK returned to flight and successfully launched a cargo shipment to the International Space Station.

The private spaceflight company was contracted by NASA to fly cargo to the ISS, and stakes were high for this launch. Orbital ATK's last attempt nearly two years earlier ended in a catastrophic explosion. Despite some delays, the newly upgraded Antares rocket flawlessly blasted off into the night sky from Wallops Island in Virginia. Six days later, the Cygnus cargo spacecraft arrived at the ISS to deliver food, supplies and science experiments to the crew.