NASA, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX are targeting 12:29 p.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 29, for the next launch to deliver science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station for the agency and its partners.
This launch is the 20th Northrop Grumman commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory for the agency.
Live launch coverage will begin at 12:15 p.m. and air on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and on the agency’s website, with prelaunch events starting Friday, Jan. 26. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms.
Filled with more than 8,200 pounds of supplies, the Cygnus cargo spacecraft, carried on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. It will arrive at the space station Wednesday, Jan. 31.
NASA coverage of rendezvous and capture will begin at 2 a.m., followed by installation coverage at 5 a.m. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will capture Cygnus using the station’s robotic arm, and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara will act as backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module’s Earth-facing port.
Highlights of space station research facilitated by delivery aboard this Cygnus are:
- the first surgical robot on the space station
- an orbit re-entry platform that collects thermal protection systems data
- a 3D cartilage cell culture that maintains healthy cartilage in a lower gravity
- the MSTIC facility, an autonomous semiconductor manufacturing platform
- and a metal 3D printer that will test the capability for printing small metal parts
The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the space station until May when it will depart the orbiting laboratory at which point it will harmlessly burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. This spacecraft is named the S.S. Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson after the former NASA astronaut.
NASA coverage of the mission is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Friday, Jan. 26:
1 p.m. – The International Space Station National Lab will host a science webinar with the following participants:
- Lisa Carnell, director, NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division
- Meg Everett, deputy scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program
- Shane Farritor, co-founder and chief scientific officer, Virtual Incision Corporation
- Mark Fernandez, principal investigator of Spaceborne Computer-2, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- Mary Murphy, director of programs, Nanoracks
- Michael Roberts, chief scientific officer, International Space Station National Lab
- Nicole Wagner, chief executive officer, LambdaVision
- Abba Zubair, medical director, Mayo Clinic
Monday, Jan. 29:
- 12:15 p.m. – Launch coverage begins
- 12:29 p.m. – Launch
Wednesday, Jan. 31:
- 2 a.m. – Rendezvous coverage begins
- 3:35 a.m. – Capture of Cygnus with the space station’s robotic arm
- 5 a.m. – Cygnus installation operations coverage
NASA Television launch coverage
Live coverage of the launch on NASA Television will begin at 12:15 p.m., Jan. 29. For downlink information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit: https://nasa.gov/nasatv.
Audio of the news teleconference and launch coverage will not be carried on the NASA “V” circuits. Launch coverage without NASA TV commentary via a tech feed will not be available for this launch.
NASA website launch coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 12:15 p.m., Monday, Jan. 29, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video on NASA+ and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff.
Attend launch virtually
Members of the public can register to attend the launch virtually. Virtual guests will have access to curated resources, schedule changes, and mission-specific information straight to your inbox. Following each activity, virtual guests are sent a mission-specific collectable stamp for their virtual guest passport.
Image: Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo craft is pictured from the International Space Station as it approaches while orbiting 261 miles above the coast of the Garabogazköl Basin in Turkmenistan. NASA.
