April 28, 2024

Cygnus Space Freighter Arrives at ISS With Only One Working Solar Array

With simply the single solar array, Cygnus still has enough power to rendezvous with the space station on Wednesday, November 9. Northrop Grumman is working closely with NASA to keep track of and examine the spacecraft ahead of tomorrows planned arrival, capture, and installation at the spaceport station. Objective groups also are preparing additional examinations of the freight spacecraft throughout technique and after capture.
Northrop Grummans Cygnus space truck, with its popular cymbal-shaped UltraFlex solar ranges, is imagined approaching the International Space Station on February 21 bring 8,300 pounds of new science experiments, team supplies, and station hardware to renew the Expedition 66 team. Credit: NASA
This is Northrop Grummans 18th industrial resupply objective to the International Space Station for NASA. The Cygnus spacecraft is bring a supply of 8,200 pounds of scientific investigations and freight to the orbiting laboratory.
The spacecraft is called the S.S. Sally Ride in honor of the late NASA astronaut, physicist, and very first American female to fly in space.

The Cygnus freight craft is envisioned moments after being caught with the Canadarm2 robotic arm controlled by NASA astronaut Nicole Mann on November 9. Credit: NASA TV
NASA astronaut Nicole Mann, with NASA astronaut Josh Cassada acting as backup, caught Northrop Grummans Cygnus spacecraft using the International Space Stations Canadarm2 robotic arm at 5:20 a.m. EST (2:20 a.m. PST) on November 9, 2022. Objective control in Houston will actively command the arm to rotate Cygnus to its installation orientation and after that to guide it in for setup on the stations Unity module Earth-facing port.
The spacecraft was able to rendezvous with International Space Station (ISS) successfully, regardless of the implementation of just one of its two solar arrays.
Northrop Grummans Cygnus space truck is envisioned on February 27 attached to the International Space Station after delivering 8,300 pounds of new science experiments, team products, and station hardware to replenish the Expedition 66 team. Credit: NASA
The Cygnus spacecraft released Monday, November 7 on a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia at 5:32 a.m. After effectively reaching orbit, it was just able to deploy among its 2 solar arrays. NASA and Northrop Grumman made the decision not to release the second solar variety after preliminary efforts to deploy it were not successful, in order to remain focused on the spacecrafts arrival at the ISS. The Cygnus freight spacecraft completed four rendezvous burns on its method to the ISS.

The Cygnus spacecraft launched Monday, November 7 on a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia at 5:32 a.m. NASA and Northrop Grumman made the determination not to release the 2nd solar selection after initial efforts to deploy it were unsuccessful, in order to stay focused on the spacecrafts arrival at the ISS. Northrop Grumman is working carefully with NASA to keep track of and evaluate the spacecraft ahead of tomorrows prepared arrival, capture, and installation at the space station.