SpaceX successfully launched Northrop Grumman’s biggest cargo spacecraft to date, marking the debut mission of the Cygnus XL to the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday evening, 14 September.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Cygnus XL lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 6:11 p.m. EDT (2211 GMT). The mission, known as NG-23, is Northrop Grumman’s 23rd cargo delivery flight to the ISS for NASA.
This launch is significant as it introduces the Cygnus XL, an upgraded version of the trusted Cygnus freighter. The previous model carried around 8,500 pounds (3,855 kilograms) of supplies, whereas the Cygnus XL has boosted capacity, delivering 11,000 pounds (4,990 kilograms) on this mission.
The payload includes advanced research and critical supplies. According to NASA, the spacecraft is carrying “materials to produce semiconductor crystals in space and equipment to develop improvements for cryogenic fuel tanks.” It also contains “a specialized UV light system to prevent the growth of microbe communities that form in water systems and supplies to produce pharmaceutical crystals that could treat cancer and other diseases.”
NG-23 is also notable because it follows a troubled schedule. NG-22, which was expected to launch in January 2025, was postponed to June due to avionics issues before being cancelled in March after the spacecraft was damaged during transport to the launch site. NG-23 is therefore the first Cygnus launch since August 2024, when NG-21 took off successfully.
The Cygnus XL used for NG-23 has been named S.S. William “Willie” McCool, honouring the NASA astronaut who lost his life in the 2003 Columbia space shuttle tragedy. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at the ISS on Wednesday, 17 September, at 6:35 a.m. EDT (1035 GMT). It will not dock on its own but will instead be captured by the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm.
This mission demonstrates not only the increased capabilities of Cygnus XL but also highlights the importance of international collaboration in advancing science and innovation aboard the ISS.
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