Capsule full of Space Station junk set to burn up over Earth

In this Dec. 9, 2015, photo made available by Nasa via Twitter, a Cygnus spacecraft approaches the International Space Station. A similar Cygnus spacecraft is set to burn up over the Earth’s atmosphere on June 22. AP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—It’s trash day for the International Space Station.

A large Cygnus cargo ship filled with Space Station trash that was released from the station last week is set to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrate Wednesday morning.

NASA conducted an experiment aboard a doomed freighter last week. After the ship safely left the station, NASA says a large fire was intentionally set aboard the vessel. The space agency says scientists are looking to explore how fire behaves in microgravity in an effort to design safer spacecraft.

Space contractor Orbital ATK plans to send another Cygnus craft to the Space Station on a resupply mission next month.