The Orbital Sciences' Cygnus commercial craft begins its relative separation from the International Space Station after three weeks at the station.
ISS037-E-018572 (22 Oct. 2013) — The Orbital Sciences’ Cygnus commercial craft begins its relative separation from the International Space Station after three weeks at the station. European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano and NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, both Expedition 37 flight engineers, were at the controls of the robotics workstation removing Cygnus from the Harmony node then safely releasing it at 7:31 a.m. (EDT) Oct. 22, 2013. On Oct. 23, the Cygnus will fire its engines for the last time at 1:41 p.m. and re-enter Earth’s atmosphere for destruction over the Pacific Ocean. A blue and white part of Earth and the blackness of space provide the backdrop for the scene.