NASA’s Cygnus Space Truck Breaks Down on the Way to Launch Site
Damage to a cargo container on Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft has forced NASA to revise its plans to deliver cargo to the International Space Station using the Dragon spacecraft, agency and contractor officials said, adding that the incident could impact mission schedules in the second half of 2024.
The damaged Cygnus was prepared for the NG-22 mission. After a comprehensive damage assessment, a NASA commission will decide whether to clear it for launch as part of the NG-23 mission. However, in any case, this mission will not take place before the fall. The SpaceX Cargo Dragon cargo ship will be sent to the ISS in the near future. The flight is scheduled for April. Since the fate of the next cargo mission remains uncertain, the Dragon will be loaded with an increased supply of food and consumables (water, oxygen, etc.) to create a critical reserve in case of further delays.
NASA promises to provide final conclusions on the status of Cygnus and possible schedule adjustments after the inspections are completed. For now, the agency and Northrop Grumman are maintaining the June deadline for NG-22, but do not rule out further changes that could affect ISS logistics in the coming months.
