OA-7 Blasts Off
An Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft blasted off atop an Atlas V rocket at 11:11 a.m. EDT (1511 GMT) on April 18 on a mission to deliver food, supplies and science experiments to the International Space Station. Cygnus is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station on Saturday, April 22. [Watch the launch video]
Crowds at Cape Canaveral
The rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station with an audience of beachgoers watching from Florida's Atlantic coast.
A Heavy Load
The Atlas V rocket that sent Cygnus into space was provided by the United Launch Alliance instead of the usual Orbital ATK Antares rocket. That's because Cygnus was packed with more cargo than usual — about 7,635 lbs. (3,463 kilograms), or 660 lbs. (300 kg) more than what could be packed on an Antares.
A View of Earth
The spacecraft's on-board camera captured this view of Earth from Space about 3 minutes after liftoff.
Full Throttle
OA-7 soars at maximum dynamic pressure, or max Q, before the stage 1 rocket engines cut off.
Stage Separation
The Centaur upper stage rocket separated from Cygnus about 4.5 minutes after launch.
Cygnus 'John Glenn' Moved to Launch Pad
The Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft named S.S. John Glenn is seen here inside its protective payload fairing. The Cygnus is en route to be mated to its Atlas V rocket ahead of its planned April 18, 2017, launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Atlas V for Cygnus OA-7 Rollout
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft S.S. John Glenn rolls out its pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida ahead of a planned April 18, 2017 launch.
ULA Launch
An Orbital ATK cargo ship bound for the International Space Station is poised for liftoff Tuesday (April 18, 2017) aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket.
Cygnus 'John Glenn' Moved to Launch Pad
The Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft named S.S. John Glenn is seen here inside its protective payload fairing. The Cygnus is en route to be mated to its Atlas V rocket ahead of its planned April 18, 2017, launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Cygnus OA-7 Payload Shroud
The Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft S.S. John Glenn is encapsulated in its protective payload fairing on March 9 ahead of its planned cargo launch to the International Space Station. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on March 27.
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