Cygnus Spacecraft: Orbital-1 Mission Pre-Launch Preparations

An Orbital Science Corporation Antares rocket is seen on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2013 as it is rolled out to launch Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, VA. 

The Antares is scheduled to launch a Cygnus spacecraft on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 9:19 p.m. EST. 

The Orbital-1 mission is Orbital Sciences' first contracted cargo delivery flight to the space station for NASA. 

Among the cargo aboard Cygnus set to launch to the space station are science experiments, crew provisions, spare parts and other hardware.

Weather permitting, it may be widely visible along the east coast of the United States.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls