A few hours ago, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft blasted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on its NG-23 or CRS NG-23 mission. After about 15 minutes, it successfully separated from the rocket’s last stage and set on its course. This is the third resupply mission to the International Space Station with various payloads launched using the Falcon 9 rocket while waiting for the new version of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket to be ready. It’s also the first to see the use of the new version of the Cygnus cargo spacecraft.
The first launch of the new version of the Antares rocket is now scheduled for 2026, but in the meantime, Northrop Grumman must carry out other resupply missions to the International Space Station with its Cygnus space cargo ship. For this reason, probably, there will be at least a fourth launch to be carried out with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
This Cygnus spacecraft was named after William “Willie” C. McCool (1961 – 2003), the NASA astronaut who was among the victims of the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy. This space cargo ship carries a total of almost 5,000 kilograms (about 11,000 pounds) of cargo that includes supplies of various types for the crew, hardware, miscellaneous equipment, and components. The XL version of the Cygnus cargo spacecraft can carry 33% more cargo than the previous version.
The SUBSA-InSPA-SSCug experiment is focused on producing ultra-high-quality semiconductor crystals using the microgravity conditions available on the International Space Station. Research conducted under these conditions could lead to significant advances in the production of semiconductors essential to electronics.
The ADSEP PIL-11 experiment is one of many medical-related experiments conducted on the International Space Station. This experiment also aims to produce crystals, but these are drugs whose structure affects their production and efficacy.
The GULBI experiment is designed to examine how microgravity affects the ability of ultraviolet light to prevent the formation of biofilms, communities of microbes that form in water supply systems. The goal is to better understand how to disinfect water, both in space and on Earth.
The NG-23 mission follows Northrop Grumman’s previous mission, NG-21, by just over a year. The NG-22 mission was postponed indefinitely due to damage sustained by the space cargo ship during transport to Cape Canaveral. It may seem ironic that such a problem occurred on Earth and not in space, but accidents usually happen on Earth. To compensate for this delay, NASA and its partners have decided to proceed with the NG-23 mission earlier than it was originally scheduled.
The Cygnus XL spacecraft is scheduled to reach the International Space Station next Wednesday to be captured by the Canadarm2 robotic arm around 10.35 UTC. If there are no problems, the day after the arrival of the Cygnus, the crew will open the hatch and can start the unloading operations.
