Private cargo ship brings Easter party to the space station



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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – A private cargo ship brought Friday to the International Space Station the ingredients of an Easter feast, accompanied by mice and small flying robots.

Space station astronaut Anne McClain used a robotic arm to capture Northrop Grumman's Cygnus capsule as she climbed 415 kilometers above France.

The Cygnus and its cargo of 7,600 pounds (3 450 kilograms) exploded Wednesday from Wallops Island (Virginia), completing the trip in a day and a half fast. It contains numerous scientific experiments, including 40 mice participating in a tetanus toxoid immunization study and three boxed flying robots designed to help astronauts inside and out.

NASA has also prepared more than 800 meals for the six residents of the resort. Their vacation choices include pork chops with sauce, smoked turkey, baked potatoes, lemon meringue pudding and apricot shoemaker.

Northrop Grumman named this Cygnus SS Roger Chaffee after the youngest of three astronauts who died during the Apollo 1 spacecraft fire in 1967. Chaffee was the only one of the crew to ever have arrived in the plane. 39; space.

"It's great to officially invite SS Roger Chaffee," Radio McClain said. "We never forget that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Know that every day we remember his sacrifice and that we will continue to honor his legacy by pursuing his passion for exploration. To S. Roger Chaffee, welcome aboard.

Two hours after arriving, the capsule was anchored in the space station by flight controllers working remotely from Houston. The Cygnus will remain there until July, when it will be published a few months in orbit alone in a test conducted by Northrop Grumman. It will finally make a fierce comeback.

In addition to McClain, two other Americans live on the space station, as well as two Russians and one Canadian. They will receive another shipment in a little over a week from SpaceX, another NASA commercial supplier.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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