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The 11th flight of NASA Wallops launched an Antares rocket filled with Cygnus cargo that was to land at the International Space Station.
Video provided by NASA, Salisbury Daily Times

A huge crowd flooded the east coast of Virginia to witness the launch of the Antares rocket on Wednesday, April 17th.

Mission NG-11, part of Northrop Grumman's Antares program, was successfully launched at 16:46. at NASA Wallops Virginia installation. This is the tenth achievement in six years that the Antares program has arrived at Wallops.

The day launch drew a lot of attention on Wednesday. Hundreds of people gathered on the lawn of NASA's Visitor Center.

Some said that they had arrived almost five hours earlier to ensure a first point of view. They looked wide-eyed through the swamp as the rocket sped into the sky.

A crowd of hundreds gathered at the NASA Wallops Island Visitor Center during the launch of the NG-11 rocket on Wednesday, April 17, 2019. (Photo: Jenna Miller)

Emma Good, 16, was thrilled to see her attend her first launch on a family trip from Virginia Beach.

"I would like to build a rocket day from here," said the high school student who hopes to study aerospace engineering. "I find all this fascinating."

"It sounds like an item in the to-do list," said his mother, Annie Good.

Community members posted information on traffic jams on Route 175, also known as Chincoteague Road, starting shortly after noon. People parked up to one kilometer and walked to the site because of the crowds.

The rocket will transport Cygnus cargo and deliver routine supplies to the International Space Station. It will also help to conduct scientific experiments along the way.

The children in the crowd said they heard about some of the launching experiences. Many mentioned that they had gone to the event during spring break.

Charlie Roper and Elijah Goodwin, their most novice rocket launching friends and best friends, traveled with their fathers from North Carolina to see the rocket.

"It was incredible," said Elijah, 11. "Shorter than I thought, but it was worth it."

The ISS is around 200 to 250 miles from Earth. The Cygnus Space Shuttle will bring food, clothing and equipment to the station, as well as scientific experiments.

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This rocket will also allow satellites, including many school and university programs, to access the space. One school program includes Delmarva colleges and high schools, while others include Virginia and Midwestern universities. Their organizers say this gives students a hands-on experience of building and controlling satellites, as well as interpreting the data they will collect.

More: Students Build Satellites Arrive on Mission NG-11

The missions also hope to help better understand the position of satellites in space, especially during the atmospheric reentry. The organizers say this knowledge is more imperative than ever, as more and more satellites have traveled in space in recent years.

At NASA Wallops, Antares rockets are normally launched twice a year, depending on when the ISS needs the cargo. This is the eleventh mission of the Antares program of Northrop Grumman, active since 2013.

"Today 's mission is important for advancing research in diverse disciplines such as medicine, aerospace and astrophysics, and I am proud of the support and collaboration of all our partners, "Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said in a statement.

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