[SatNews] Orbital, in consultation with NASA, has decided to reschedule the Antares CRS Orb-1 Space Station Resupply Mission launch for no earlier than Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014.

Antares launch vehicle on pad.
Photo courtesy of Orbital Sciences.

The new target date was set due to the extreme cold temperatures that are forecasted for early next week, coupled with likely precipitation events predicted for Sunday night and Monday morning. While we are preserving the option to launch on Jan. 8, it is more likely that the launch will take place on Thursday, Jan. 9 because of a much improved weather forecast for later in the week.   

The lift of the Antares rocket to the TSL.
Photo courtesy of NASA.

The launch window on Wednesday is 1:32 to 1:37 p.m. EST (18:32 – 18:37 GMT). If weather conditions on Wednesday do not prove favorable, the launch window for Thursday, Jan. 9 is 1:10 to 1:15 p.m. EST (18:10 to 18:15 GMT).

Rollout of the rocket to the pad will occur as previously scheduled tomorrow night, Jan. 4, due to the relatively favorable weather, and the fact that the cargo has already been loaded onto the Cygnus. The team will execute on-pad preparations (mating the rocket to the pad, rotating the rocket to its vertical position, connecting umbilicals, etc.) immediately after rollout.   

The Launch Readiness Review is currently scheduled to take place on Monday, Jan. 6.