Gallery: Antares rocket explodes

Wrapping up 109 days attached to the International Space Station, a Northrop Grumman Cygnus supply ship departed the orbiting research lab Tuesday to begin an extended four-month mission for additional technology demonstrations and smallsat deployments.

The Cygnus commercial logistics vehicle departed the International Space Station Sunday morning for a week-long free-flight filled with autonomous science tasks before re-entry.

An Antares rocket is being prepared for launch for the first time in two years after emerging from the Horizontal Integration Facility at Wallops Island, Virginia, on Thursday evening for a one-mile trip to the launch pad.