NASA, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX are targeting the early hours of August 4, 2024, for the next launch to deliver science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station (ISS).
The impending launch is the 21st Northrop Grumman commercial resupply services mission to the ISS for NASA. Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft, carried on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, will launch from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Onboard will be over 3.7 tonnes of supplies and scientific equipment, including;
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Test articles to evaluate liquid and gas flow through porous media found in space station life support systems;
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A balloon, penny, and hexnut for a new STEMonstration on centripetal force;
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Microorganisms known as Rotifers to examine the effects of spaceflight on DNA repair mechanisms;
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A bioreactor to demonstrate the production of many high-quality blood and immune stem cells; and
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Vascularised liver tissue to analyse the development of blood vessels in engineered tissue flown to the space station.
NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick will capture Cygnus using the station’s robotic arm, and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps will act as Dominick’s backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module’s Earth-facing port.
NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative is also sending two CubeSats to deploy from the orbiting laboratory: CySat-1 from Iowa State University and DORA (Deployable Optical Receiver Aperture) from Arizona State University, making up ELaNa 52 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites).
The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the space station until January, when it will depart, after which it will burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
NASA’s live launch coverage will begin at 01:10 am, August 4 (AEST) on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Arrival coverage will begin at 4:30 am on June 6 (AEST) on the same platforms.
