The Cygnus spacecraft is preparing for a long-term stay on the ISS
Space company SpaceX is preparing to launch Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft on its main Falcon 9 rocket next week. The NG-20 resupply mission is scheduled for Tuesday, January 30 at 12:07 pm Eastern Time (17:07 GMT). This mission represents the first launch of the Cygnus cargo module on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
An important part of this mission is the modification of the Falcon 9 fairing, which protects the spacecraft during orbital entry. William Gerstenmaier, SpaceX's vice president of flight safety, explained that a new hatch measuring 1.5 by 1.2 meters was installed. This hatch allows the crew to add additional cargo, including special treats for the astronauts, like ice cream. This launch was delayed by one day due to the need to ensure cleanliness inside the hatch, as any contamination on the Cygnus docking equipment could affect its successful docking to the ISS.
The Cygnus cargo ship will carry fresh food and supplies for ISS astronauts, as well as many scientific experiments. The most significant of them — the first robotic surgeon on the ISS. Kyrus Dalla, vice president and head of tactical space systems at Northrop Grumman, said that the Cygnus cargo module will be docked to the ISS for about six months and, if necessary, will be able to raise the station to a more optimal altitude. This is especially important as the ISS station sinks closer to Earth over time due to air drag.
At the end of its mission, the Cygnus spacecraft will travel back to Earth, taking with it debris and other waste that will burn up upon entry into the Earth's atmosphere. For Northrop Grumman, this is another important function of this space platform. Previous Cygnus cargo missions were carried on the Antares rocket, but this version of the ship is being phased out.
Collaboration between SpaceX and Northrop Grumman is of great importance for ensuring the supply of cargo to the ISS, as well as the development of space research.