NASA has played down the impact on the crew of the International Space Station following the explosion of a supply rocket shortly after take off from a commercial launch pad in Virginia.<br /><br />The unmanned 14-story Antares was carrying a robotic Cygnus spacecraft manufactured by Orbital Sciences. It had been filled with nearly 2,300 kilos of food, water and other equipment for the ISS.<br /><br />NASA ISS Program Manager Mike Suffredini said even if the Antares could not do its job the ISS had plenty of supplies:<br /><br />“We manage the station to protect for just such an event should it occur. So we keep logistics on board the ISS to protect us for 4-6 months in the event that other logistics vehicles cant make it to ISS. So in fact, our logistics on board today — if no other space craft show up — takes us well into next year.”<br /><br />There have been no reports of injuries but the cause of the accident in Virginia is so far unknown.<br /><br />In the meantime a Russian cargo ship is due to reach the space station on Wednesday after a launch from Kazakhstan.
