Orbital Sciences unmanned cargo capsule will be delayed for two days on its expected arrival to the International Space Station because of a software problem.
The Cygnus cargo capsule was launched on Wednesday and expected to arrive on Sunday. It will stay in the orbiting station for a month before it travels back to Earth. However, this timeline will no longer be the same as controllers in Virginia noticed that the capsule is slowing down on its track. The unmanned capsule is still hundred yards away from its destination.
The Orbital Sciences engineers are already working to resolve the software problem immediately but may take within 48 hours to fix it. Based on the updates posted on its website, a software patch is scheduled to be uploaded through Monday morning. If successful, the cargo capsule might reach the space station by Tuesday. The company clarified that no other operating issues have been identified aside from its slow track caused by a data format discrepancy between the ISS and Cynus navigation systems.
The Virginia-based company has gone through several challenges in this business venture. Even before Cygnus was launched, it has experienced problems in deadlines, funding, and technicalities. It took five years before the company is able to send off the cargo capsule. NASA is supportive of the mission as it is betting a $1.9 billion contract for regular supply trips to the station by the company beginning December 2012.
SpaceX is the first commercial entity to transport cargo to the capsule but NASA is exploring another commercial entity to reduce costs. The space agency believes that having another option aside from SpaceX will cut its launch costs and speed up the scientific explorations being done in the space station since there is another capsule which can deliver supplies.
Despite the suggestion of the Russian officials to shut down the space station due to high maintenance costs, NASA would like to keep it running until 2028.
