The Orbital ATK's Antares rocket was launched on Monday from Virginia. The rocket is carrying a cargo ship for the International Space Station (ISS).

This is the rocket's first flight in two years after experiencing an explosion during a liftoff two years ago. The launch was delayed by five minutes for additional review of the checklist.

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The rocket blasted off with a Cygnus capsule, which carried 5,290 pounds of supplies, equipment, and food for the International Space Station. It will carry out various experiments including studying the behavior of fire in microgravity. The capsule will also test the effects of lighting conditions in space on the health of astronauts.

The capsule is expected to reach its destination on Sunday. On its way, the capsule will stay in orbit to make way for a Russian Soyuz capsule. The Russian capsule is carrying three new crew members and will reach the ISS on Friday. The capsule is scheduled to be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

Antares had a mishap during its last takeoff in October 2014. It few seconds into the takeoff. The rocket was fitted with refurbished engines, which is believed to be the reason behind the botched attempt. The new version of the rocket, which blasted off on Monday, comes with a pair of new Russia-made engines.

The launch is a part of NASA's commercial cargo program, which suffered a setback earlier this year on account of the failed launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The rocket exploded during a pre-test flight at Cape Canaveral on September 1.