Orbital ATK’s ‘S.S. Gene Cernan’ Cygnus spacecraft has completed its eighth cargo supply mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

The OA-8 mission started on 12 November and was completed under Nasa’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract.

It began when Cygnus launched aboard an Orbital ATK Antares rocket at Nasa’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, US.

“From launch to a safe re-entry, Cygnus exceeded expectations on every aspect of this mission.”

After reaching the orbiting laboratory, the spacecraft delivered 7,400lb of cargo and science experiments to the astronauts.

Cygnus supported the experiments inside the cargo module while docked to the laboratory and acted as an extension of the ISS.

The spacecraft also removed 6,400lb of items for disposal.

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The ‘S.S. Gene Cernan’ executed flawlessly on secondary missions that included the deployment of 14 CubeSats into orbit from a NanoRacks CubeSat deployer.

The OA-8 mission officially concluded when Cygnus performed a safe, destructive re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand.

After remaining docked for 22 days at the orbiting laboratory, the spacecraft departed the space station.

Orbital ATK Space Systems Group president Frank Culbertson said: “From launch to a safe re-entry, Cygnus exceeded expectations on every aspect of this mission.

“Our success is a fitting tribute to Gene Cernan, one of the great space pioneers in our industry and we are proud to have flown Cygnus in his name.”

Orbital ATK further plans to launch two additional CRS missions next year aboard the company’s Antares rockets from Nasa’s facility.