US space station delivery on tap after 8-month stoppage

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA hopes to resume commercial shipments this week to the International Space Station after months of frustrating delay.

The last successful U.S. supply run was in April. Russia and Japan have managed to fill the gap. Nonetheless, the 250-mile-high pantry isn't as full as it should be.

An unmanned Atlas V rocket arrived at its launch pad today. It's due to lift off early Thursday evening with 7,400 pounds of space station supplies.

Shipper Orbital ATK Inc. is launching from Cape Canaveral this time. Its Antares rocket is still grounded following a 2014 launch explosion that damaged the Virginia launch pad. Both the rocket and the company's cargo ship were destroyed.

The Virginia-based Orbital purchased two United Launch Alliance rockets to fulfill its shipment obligations to NASA.

NASA's other contracted shipper, SpaceX, has been grounded since a failed launch in June. The California company expects to resume deliveries in January. It had the last U.S. resupply success, back in April.

Orbital plans another shipment via an Atlas in March, followed by the return of Antares in May with a new type of Russian-built engine.