Cygnus Soars on SpaceX Rocket to Resupply International Space Station

A fresh supply of more than 8,200 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo is on its way to the International Space Station on a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft after launching on a SpaceXCommonly known as SpaceX, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company that was founded by Elon Musk in 2002. Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, the company designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. SpaceX's ultimate goal is to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 12:07 p.m. ESTEST is an abbreviation for Eastern Standard Time, the time zone for the eastern coast of the United States and Canada when observing standard time (autumn/winter). It is five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, and the Kennedy Space Center are in the Eastern Time Zone (ET).” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>EST Tuesday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

About 15 minutes after launch, Cygnus reached its preliminary orbit. About two hours after launch, the spacecraft successfully deployed its two solar arrays.

A successful liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida as Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, heads to the International Space Station for the 20th Northrop Grumman resupply mission on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. The spacecraft is expected to reach the space station on Thursday, February 1, 2024, bringing 8,200 pounds of science investigations, supplies, and equipment for the international crew. Credit: Kim Shiflett

Cygnus is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 4:15 a.m. Thursday, February 1.

NASAEstablished in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government that succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). It is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Its vision is "To discover and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity." Its core values are "safety, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and inclusion." NASA conducts research, develops technology and launches missions to explore and study Earth, the solar system, and the universe beyond. It also works to advance the state of knowledge in a wide range of scientific fields, including Earth and space science, planetary science, astrophysics, and heliophysics, and it collaborates with private companies and international partners to achieve its goals.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and agency’s website will provide live coverage of the spacecraft’s approach and arrival beginning at 2:45 a.m.

NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will capture Cygnus using the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm, and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara will be acting as a backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module’s Earth-facing port.

This is Northrop Grumman’s 20th contracted resupply mission for NASA.

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft, atop a SpaceX 9 Falcon rocket, soars from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, for the 20th Northrop Grumman commercial resupply mission for NASA. The spacecraft will bring 8,200 pounds of science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station including tests of a 3D metal printer, semiconductor manufacturing, and thermal protection systems. The Cygnus spacecraft is expected to reach the space station on Thursday, February 1, 2024, where it will remain until its expected departure in May. Credit: SpaceX

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft is an unmanned cargo spacecraft designed to transport supplies, equipment, and scientific experiments to the International Space StationThe International Space Station (ISS) is a large spacecraft in orbit around the Earth that serves as a research laboratory and spaceport for international collaboration in space exploration. It was launched in 1998 and has been continuously occupied by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts from around the world since 2000. The ISS is a joint project of five space agencies: NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). It orbits the Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles), and provides a unique platform for scientific research, technological development, and human space exploration.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>International Space Station (ISS). Developed as part of NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, Cygnus plays a crucial role in maintaining the ISS’s operations and advancing space research.

The spacecraft consists of two primary components: the Service Module, which contains the spacecraft’s avionics, propulsion, and power systems, and the Pressurized Cargo Module, where the cargo is stored. Once Cygnus completes its mission and is unberthed from the ISS, it safely burns up upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. This design makes Cygnus an efficient means of not only delivering supplies but also disposing of the station’s waste.

Over the years, Cygnus has been instrumental in numerous resupply missions, contributing significantly to the ongoing success and sustainability of the ISS and its missions.