By NASA
November 9, 2022
File picture of a Cygnus area freighter. Credit: NASA
After launching on an Antares rocket from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility at 5:32 a.m. EST (2:32 a.m. PST) on November 7, the Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft has actually effectively deployed one of its two solar selections and finished 4 rendezvous burns on its method to the International Space Station (ISS). To stay focused on the spacecrafts arrival at the ISS, NASA and Northrop Grumman made the decision not to release the second solar variety after initial efforts to release it were unsuccessful. The Cygnus group continues to gather info on why the 2nd selection did not deploy as prepared.
With just the single solar selection, Cygnus still has sufficient power to rendezvous with the area station on Wednesday, November 9. Northrop Grumman is working closely with NASA to keep track of and examine the spacecraft ahead of tomorrows prepared arrival, capture, and setup at the spaceport station. Objective teams also are planning additional assessments of the cargo spacecraft throughout approach and after capture.
NASA television protection of rendezvous and capture will start at 3:30 a.m. EST (12:30 a.m. PST) followed by setup coverage at 7:15 a.m. At about 5:05 a.m., Expedition 68 NASA astronaut Nicole Mann will capture Cygnus with the stations robotic arm, with NASA astronaut Josh Cassada acting as backup. After Cygnus capture, ground commands will be sent from mission control at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston for the stations arm to turn and install it on the stations Unity module Earth-facing port.
