For the second time in 2024, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft delivered a bounty of science experiments and cargo to the crew aboard the Worldwide House Station (ISS). The CRS NG-21 mission dodged the climate that scrubbed it on Saturday, with a Sunday elevate off on a Falcon 9 from House Launch Advanced 40 (SLC-40) on the Cape Canaveral House Drive Station in Florida.
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Cygnus’ journey to area was on SpaceX’s workhorse two-stage Falcon 9 launch car, using a flight-proven first stage. The launch despatched the spacecraft into low-Earth orbit on a trajectory inclined 51.6 levels to the equator, placing it in the identical orbital airplane because the ISS. After stage separation, the booster returned to the launch website (RTLS) for touchdown, culminating in a delicate landing at Cape Canaveral’s Touchdown Zone 1.
For SpaceX, this launch was the second within the month of August, and the seventy fifth for the corporate in 2024 thus far. NG-21 was additionally the primary buyer mission flown by SpaceX because the Starlink 9-3 launch failure that occurred on July 11.
Cygnus shows its round photo voltaic arrays whereas hooked up to the Canadarm2 robotic arm. (Credit score: NASA)
The NG-21 mission marks the second of three Cygnus cargo flights that can launch aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets, having beforehand used the now-retired Antares 230+ launch car as its foremost methodology of journey. These three missions will assist Northrop Grumman proceed to meet its ISS cargo resupply contract obligations till the upgraded Antares 330 enters service.
Cygnus’ rocket-agnostic design allows this functionality, very similar to the way it was utilized for 3 missions spanning from 2015 to 2017 after the failed launch of Antares throughout the CRS Orb-3 mission in October 2014. Whereas Antares was grounded for modifications, Cygnus was capable of fly on United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas V rocket to keep up its cargo quota.
After launch, the Cygnus NG-21 spacecraft started its chase of the ISS, taking a day and a half earlier than arriving for seize by the Station’s Canadarm2. The cargo ship was captured at 3:11 AM EDT (07:11 UTC) on Tuesday, Aug. 6, after which Cygnus was berthed to the nadir (Earth-facing) port of the Unity module at 5:33 AM EDT (09:33 UTC). NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick carried out the seize.
Honoring the late STS-51-L commander, Francis R. “Dick” Scobee. (Credit score: NASA)
The Cygnus NG-21 craft has been christened the S.S. Francis R. “Dick” Scobee, in honor of the fallen commander of the ill-fated Challenger STS-51-L mission. This aligns with a practice by which the spacecraft is known as after deceased astronauts or different outstanding figures in spaceflight. The custom was began by Orbital Sciences (who initially developed Cygnus) and carried on by Northrop Grumman.
The S.S. Francis R. “Dick” Scobee can be delivering round 3,843 kg (8,472 lb) of cargo to the orbiting outpost. This cargo contains quite a few scientific experiments, corresponding to exams of water restoration applied sciences, a course of to supply blood and immune cells in microgravity, and an illustration of centripetal pressure for STEM engagement.
Along with the experiments, meals, and provides, the S.S. Francis R. “Dick” Scobee will carry an iROSA photo voltaic array improve package — the eighth such package wanted for the set up of the ultimate set of upgraded arrays. Moreover, Cygnus will ship spare water tanks and pump assemblies for Station upkeep.
Preview of the cargo manifest that can be delivered to the ISS throughout the NG-21 mission. (Credit score: NASA)
Cygnus will stay berthed to the ISS for 5 and a half months, throughout which period it will probably present an orbital reboost functionality. As soon as it nears the top of its keep, it is going to be loaded with trash from the Station earlier than unberthing and departure.
Afterward, Cygnus can be commanded to make a damaging reentry into Earth’s environment over the southern Pacific Ocean, marking the top of its mission.
Alongside the NG-20 and NG-21 flights, the NG-22 mission can also be slated to launch on Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral with a tentative February 2025 date. NG-23 would be the first Cygnus mission to make the most of the Antares 330, flying on its debut launch no sooner than the third quarter of 2025.
From left to proper: cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, astronaut Nick Hague, astronaut Zena Cardman, and astronaut Stephanie Wilson bear coaching for the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. (Credit score: SpaceX)
The month of August is lining as much as be a considerably busy interval for the ISS, with a number of incoming and departing autos. The arrival of Cygnus NG-21 is scheduled to be adopted just a few days later by the departure of the Russian Progress MS-26 cargo ship and the launch and arrival of the SpaceX Crew-9 crew rotation mission. The departure of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft as a part of the CFT mission can also be in flux, with no particular return date set presently.
(Lead picture: Falcon 9 launches NG-21. By Julia Bergeron for NSF/L2)
