The Cygnus XL Spacecraft Reached The ISS
Credit: NASA
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft docked with the ISS today. The docking was scheduled to occur a day earlier, but engine problems prevented it. Astronauts docked the spacecraft with the station using the Canadarm2 robotic arm.
During the NG-23 mission, the spacecraft delivered approximately 5,000 kg of cargo to the station, significantly exceeding the capacity of previous Cygnus versions, which could carry 3,855 kg at a time. The launch took place on September 14 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. However, not everything went smoothly along the way.
Cygnus XL was originally scheduled to arrive at the ISS on September 17, but engine problems delayed the docking by a day. The Northrop Grumman team quickly corrected the malfunction, adjusting the flight trajectory to ensure the spacecraft’s safe arrival. As Bill Spetch, NASA’s ISS Operations Integration Manager, noted, the docking planning process with the space station is extremely complex, and any malfunction requires a thorough reworking of the flight plan.
The CRS-23 mission marked the maiden flight of the Cygnus XL, a larger, more capable version of the company’s spacecraft. It will remain on the station until March 2026.
