Cygnus NG-17

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Cygnus NG-17
Antares NG CRS-17 Launch (WFF-2022-009-001) (51891644834) (cropped).jpg
NamesCygnus OA-17 (2016–2018)
Mission type ISS resupply
Operator Northrop Grumman
COSPAR ID 2022-015A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. 51712 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Mission duration119 days, 13 hours, 14 minutes
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftS.S. Piers Sellers
Spacecraft type Enhanced Cygnus
Manufacturer
Launch mass.
Start of mission
Launch date19 February 2022, 17:40:03 UTC [1]
Rocket Antares 230+
Launch site Wallops, Pad 0A
ContractorNorthrop Grumman
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Decay date29 June 2022, 06:55 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit
Regime Low Earth orbit
Inclination 51.66°
Berthing at International Space Station
Berthing port Unity nadir
RMS capture21 February 2022, 09:44 UTC
Berthing date21 February 2022, 12:02 UTC
Unberthing date28 June 2022, 07:00 UTC
RMS release28 June 2022, 11:07 UTC
Time berthed127 days
Cygnus NG-17 Patch.png
Cygnus NG-17 mission patch  

Cygnus NG-17, [2] previously known as Cygnus OA-17, was the seventeenth flight of the Northrop Grumman robotic resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its sixteenth flight to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. The mission launched on 19 February 2022 at 17:40:03 UTC. [1] It was the sixth launch of Cygnus under the CRS-2 contract. [3] [4]

Contents

Orbital ATK’s space division (now part of Northrop Grumman Space Systems) and NASA jointly developed a new space transportation system to provide commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station (ISS). Under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, Orbital ATK designed, acquired, built, and assembled these components: Antares, a medium-class launch vehicle; Cygnus, an advanced spacecraft using a Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) provided by industrial partner Thales Alenia Space and a Service Module based on the Orbital GEOStar satellite bus. [5]

History

Cygnus NG-17 was the sixth Cygnus mission under the Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract.

Production and integration of Cygnus spacecraft are performed in Dulles, Virginia. The Cygnus service module is mated with the pressurized cargo module at the launch site, and mission operations are conducted from control centers in Dulles, Virginia and Houston, Texas. [5]

Spacecraft

This was the twelfth flight of the Enhanced-sized Cygnus PCM. [4] [6] Northrop Grumman named this spacecraft after Piers Sellers, in celebration of his role in assembling the International Space Station. [2]

Manifest

Cygnus spacecraft is loaded with 3,651 kg (8,049 lb) of research, hardware, and crew supplies. [7] [8]

ISS reboost

Aside from the orbital delivery, Cygnus performed the program's first operational reboost of the ISS. The space station's orbit needs to be changed from time to time as it naturally falls back in Earth's atmosphere. [9] The ISS will change its attitude by about 90 degrees before executing the Cygnus reboost on 18 June 2022. [10] [11]

On 20 June 2022 at 15:20 UTC, Cygnus NG-17 gimbal engine was scheduled to fire for 5 minutes and 1 second but the firing was aborted after 5 seconds. [12]

On Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 17:42 UTC, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus completed its first limited reboost of the International Space Station. Cygnus’ gimbaled delta velocity engine was used to adjust the space station’s orbit through a reboost of the altitude of the space station. The maneuver lasted 5 minutes, 1 second and raised the station’s altitude 1/10 of a mile at apogee and 5/10 of a mile at perigee. [13]

Research

The new experiments that have arrived at the orbiting laboratory will inspire future scientists and explorers, and provide valuable insight for researchers.

NASA Glenn Research Center studies: [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antares (rocket)</span> Medium-lift expendable rocket by Northrop Grumman

Antares, known during early development as Taurus II, is an expendable launch system developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation and the Pivdenne Design Bureau to launch the Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's COTS and CRS programs. Able to launch payloads heavier than 8,000 kg (18,000 lb) into low Earth orbit, Antares is currently the largest rocket operated by Northrop Grumman. Antares launches from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and made its inaugural flight on April 21, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus (spacecraft)</span> Uncrewed cargo spacecraft developed by Orbital Sciences

Cygnus is an expendable American cargo spacecraft developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation but manufactured and launched by Northrop Grumman Space Systems as part of NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program. It is usually launched by Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket, although three flights were on ULA's Atlas V and three are planned for SpaceX's Falcon 9. It transports supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) following the retirement of the American Space Shuttle. Since August 2000, ISS resupply missions have been regularly flown by the Russian Progress spacecraft, as well as by the European Automated Transfer Vehicle, and the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle. With the Cygnus spacecraft and the SpaceX Dragon, NASA seeks to increase its partnerships with domestic commercial aviation and aeronautics industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercial Resupply Services</span> NASA program for delivery of cargo to the ISS

Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) are a series of flights awarded by NASA for the delivery of cargo and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) on commercially operated spacecraft. The first CRS contracts were signed in 2008 and awarded $1.6 billion to SpaceX for twelve cargo Dragon and $1.9 billion to Orbital Sciences for eight Cygnus flights, covering deliveries to 2016. The Falcon 9 and Antares rockets were also developed under the CRS program to deliver cargo spacecraft to the ISS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus OA-4</span> 2015 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

OA-4, previously known as Orbital-4, was the fourth successful flight of the Orbital ATK uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its third flight to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract with NASA. With the Antares launch vehicle undergoing a redesign following its failure during the Orb-3 launch, OA-4 was launched by an Atlas V launch vehicle. Following three launch delays due to inclement weather beginning on 3 December 2015, OA-4 was launched at 21:44:57 UTC on 6 December 2015. With a liftoff weight of 7,492 kg (16,517 lb), OA-4 became the heaviest payload ever launched on an Atlas V. The spacecraft rendezvoused with and was berthed to the ISS on 9 December 2015. It was released on 19 February 2016 after 72 days at the International Space Station. Deorbit occurred on 20 February 2016 at approximately 16:00 UTC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus OA-5</span> 2016 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

OA-5, previously known as Orbital-5, was the seventh planned flight of the Orbital Sciences' uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its sixth flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. The mission launched on 17 October 2016 at 23:45:36 UTC. Orbital Sciences and NASA jointly developed a new space transportation system to provide commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station (ISS). Under the Commercial Orbital Transportation System (COTS) program, Orbital designed and built Antares, a medium-class launch vehicle; Cygnus, an advanced maneuvering spacecraft; and a Pressurized Cargo Module which is provided by Orbital's industrial partner Thales Alenia Space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus OA-6</span> 2016 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

OA-6, previously known as Orbital-6, is the sixth flight of the Orbital ATK uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its fifth flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. The mission launched on 23 March 2016 at 03:05:52 UTC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus OA-7</span> 2017 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

OA-7, previously known as Orbital-7, is the eighth flight of the Orbital ATK uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its seventh flight to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. The mission launched on 18 April 2017 at 15:11:26 UTC. Orbital and NASA jointly developed a new space transportation system to provide commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station (ISS). Under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, then Orbital Sciences designed and built Antares, a medium-class launch vehicle; Cygnus, an advanced maneuvering spacecraft, and a Pressurized Cargo Module which is provided by Orbital's industrial partner Thales Alenia Space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus OA-8E</span> 2017 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

OA-8E was the ninth flight of the Orbital ATK uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its eighth flight to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract with NASA. The mission launched on 12 November 2017 at 12:19:51 UTC. Orbital and NASA jointly developed a new space transportation system to provide commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station (ISS). Under the Commercial Orbital Transportation System (COTS) program, then Orbital Sciences designed and built Antares, a medium-class launch vehicle; Cygnus, an advanced maneuvering spacecraft, and a Pressurized Cargo Module which is provided by Orbital's industrial partner Thales Alenia Space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus OA-9E</span> 2018 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

OA-9E was the tenth flight of the Orbital ATK uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its ninth flight to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Resupply Services with NASA. The mission launched on 21 May 2018 at 08:44:06 UTC. Orbital ATK and NASA jointly developed a new space transportation system to provide commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station. Under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, then Orbital Sciences designed and built Antares, a medium-class launch vehicle; Cygnus, an advanced maneuvering spacecraft, and a Pressurized Cargo Module which is provided by Orbital's industrial partner Thales Alenia Space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus NG-10</span> 2018 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

NG-10, previously known as OA-10E, is the eleventh flight of the Northrop Grumman uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its tenth flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract with NASA. The mission launched on 17 November 2018, at 09:01:31 UTC. This particular mission is part of an extension of the initial CRS contract that enables NASA to cover the ISS resupply needs until the Commercial Resupply Services-2 (CRS-2) contract enters in effect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus NG-11</span> 2019 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

NG-11, previously known as OA-11, is the twelfth flight of the Northrop Grumman robotic resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its eleventh flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract with NASA. The mission launched on 17 April 2019 at 20:46:07 UTC. This is the last mission from the extended CRS-1 contract; follow-up missions are part of the CRS-2 contract. Cygnus NG-11 was also the first mission to load critical hardware onto Cygnus within the last 24 hours prior to launch, a new Antares feature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus NG-12</span> 2019 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus NG-13</span> 2020 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus NG-14</span> 2020 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus NG-15</span> 2021 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus NG-16</span> 2021 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

Cygnus NG-16, previously known as Cygnus OA-16, was the sixteenth flight of the Northrop Grumman robotic resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its fifteenth flight to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-2) contract with NASA. The mission was launched on 10 August 2021 at 22:01:05 UTC, for a (planned) 90-day mission at the ISS. This was the fifth launch of Cygnus under the CRS-2 contract.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cygnus NG-20</span> Cygnus spacecraft mission to ISS

NG-20 is the twentieth planned flight of the Cygnus robotic resupply spacecraft and its seventeenth flight to the International Space Station (ISS). It is planned to launch in late January 2024. It is contracted to Northrop Grumman under the Commercial Resupply Services II (CRS-2) contract with NASA. The capsule is scheduled to be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

References

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  4. 1 2 "Northrop Grumman "optimistic" to receive more NASA cargo mission orders". Spaceflight Now. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
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  9. Elizabeth Howell (19 February 2022). "Northrop Grumman rocket launches Cygnus cargo ship on 2-day trip to space station". Space.com.
  10. @NASA (23 February 2022). "@RaffaeleDiPalma Yes, the @Space_Station will change its attitude by about 90 degrees before executing a Cygnus reboost" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  11. "Schedule of ISS flight events (part 2)". forum.nasaspaceflight.com. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  12. "Cyguns Reboost Aborted, Next Steps Being Planned". 20 June 2022.
  13. Garcia, Mark (25 June 2022). "Cygnus Cargo Craft Fires Engine for Limited Station Reboost". blogs.nasa.gov. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
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