Following the successful launch of NASA’s Northrop Grumman 21st commercial resupply mission, the facility’s new science experiments and equipment will arrive at the International Space Station.
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft, carrying more than 8,200 pounds of equipment to the orbiting laboratory, lifted off at 11:02 a.m. EDT Sunday on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Air Force Station. Canaveral, Florida.
Shortly after launch, the spacecraft lost its first burn due to a back-entry burn sequence. It was known as the target combustion zone, or TB1, it was redesigned, but it was removed shortly after the engine burned due to the low initial pressure level. There is no indication that the engine itself has a problem at this time.
Cygnus is in a safe position and has completed the production of its two solar systems at 2:21 pm Northrop Grumman engineers are working on a new burning strategy and are ready to achieve the first time of the spacecraft winning at the station.
If all goes well, news of the plane’s arrival will begin at 1:30 am, Tuesday, Aug. 6, on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app and agency website. Learn how to broadcast NASA TV through various platforms including social media.
NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick will touch Cygnus using the station’s robotic arm at about 3:10 a.m., with NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps observing.
The supply project will also support many of the research experiments conducted during Expedition 71. Among the research are:
- Literature on experiments to evaluate the flow of liquid and gas through porous media found in space life support facilities
- A balloon, penny, and hexnut for a new STEMonstration of centripetal force
- Organisms known as Rotifers to examine the effects of the environment on DNA repair mechanisms
- Bioreactor to demonstrate the production of high quality blood and immune cells
These are just a sample of the hundreds of research conducted in the rotating laboratory in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical science, and Earth and space science. Such research benefits humans and lays the groundwork for future human exploration through the Artemis mission, which will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future missions to Mars.
Here’s the news for NASA arrivals and flight events (all Eastern time and subject to change based on real-time activity):
Tuesday, Aug. 6
1:30 a.m. – Coverage of the landing begins on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.
3:10 a.m. – The capture of Cygnus by the spacecraft’s robotic arm.
4:30 a.m. – The Cygnus launch begins on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.
All times are estimates and subject to change based on applications after launch. Follow the space blog for the latest performance information.
The company’s 21st mission to the NASA space station is the 10th under its 2nd Commercial Resupply Services contract.
Cygnus will remain in the orbiting laboratory until January before taking off and disposing of several thousand pieces of debris by re-entering Earth’s atmosphere where it will burn up harmlessly. The spacecraft is named SS Francis R. “Dick” Scobee after the former NASA scientist.
Learn more about NASA’s commercial supply mission at:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-northrop-grumman-crs-21/
-FINISH-
Claire O’Shea / Josh Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
Stephanie Plucinsky / Steven Siceloff
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-876-2468
stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov / Steven.p.sicoff@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
#NASA #Science #Cargo #Launch #21st #Northrop #Grumman #Mission #Station #NASA