Derek Richardson
December thirteenth, 2023
The NG-20 Cygnus service module leaves Virginia for Florida to be processed for launch to the Worldwide House Station early subsequent 12 months. Credit score: Northrop Grumman
The service module for Northrop Grumman’s subsequent Cygnus resupply spacecraft is en path to Florida for launch atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The NG-20 Cygnus service module is being shipped from Virginia to Kennedy Space Center in Florida the place will probably be hooked up to the pressurized cargo module, already in Florida, and ready for launch to the Worldwide House Station. Liftoff is at present scheduled for Jan. 29, 2024, from House Launch Complicated 40 at close by Cape Canaveral House Pressure Station.
The NG-20 Cygnus pressurized cargo module already at Kennedy House Heart for launch processing. Credit score: NASA
That is the primary Cygnus spacecraft to fly atop a Falcon 9 because the last Antares 230+ rocket launched in August 2023. The primary stage of the Antares rocket was being constructed by a provider in Ukraine. Due to Russia’s invasion of that nation in 2022, there aren’t any extra boosters out there.
Northrop Grumman is now at present working with Texas-based Firefly Aerospace to construct a alternative first stage, which isn’t anticipated to be prepared till no less than mid-2025. Till then, no less than three Cygnus spacecraft are anticipated to fly atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
Earlier this month, Northrop Grumman announced Cygnus NG-20 would be named after NASA astronaut Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson, who died in 2001 at age 38 from accidents sustained in a non-public aircraft crash. Her first flight to area was anticipated to be a mission to the ISS in 2002.
As soon as NG-20 Cygnus launches, it’s scheduled to take about two days to succeed in the area station earlier than being captured by the outpost’s robotic Canadarm2 and berthed to the Unity module. Cygnus sometimes carries round 8,400 kilos (3,800 kilograms) of provides for ISS crews to unload over the spacecraft’s multi-month keep aboard the outpost.
That is the ninth Cygnus spacecraft below NASA’s second Business Resupply Providers contract and the fifteenth within the “enhanced” configuration.
NG-19 Cygnus, which was launched in August, remains to be hooked up to the ISS. It’s anticipated to be unberthed from the outpost later this month for an eventual harmful reentry into Earth’s ambiance with trash and unneeded tools.
Video courtesy of Northrop Grumman
Derek Richardson
Derek Richardson has a level in mass media, with an emphasis in modern journalism, from Washburn College in Topeka, Kansas. Whereas at Washburn, he was the managing editor of the scholar run newspaper, the Washburn Evaluation. He additionally has a web site about human spaceflight known as Orbital Velocity. You will discover him on twitter @TheSpaceWriter.
