Northrop Grumman Set to Launch 11th Cargo Delivery Mission to the International Space Station for NASA

Mission to showcase late load operations, long-duration post-space station departure mission for Cygnus, and largest cargo load launched aboard an Antares rocket to date

Dulles, Va. – April 16, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced it is set to launch the company’s AntaresTM rocket carrying its CygnusTM cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station for NASA. Pending completion of cargo late load, final vehicle testing and acceptable local weather conditions, the launch will take place April 17 with lift-off scheduled for 4:46 p.m. EDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to rendezvous and berth with the station on April 19, 2019.

Northrop Grumman’s Antares™ rocket and Cygnus™ spacecraft are set to launch the company’s 11th cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station.

The mission, designated NG-11, marks the 11th time Cygnus will deliver cargo to the International Space Station for NASA and will complete the Commercial Resupply Services-1 (CRS-1) contract. The company’s first launch under the CRS-2 contract is planned for this fall.

For the NG-11 mission, Northrop Grumman will showcase a number of new capabilities including late load operations and a solo, long duration post-space station departure mission for Cygnus. In addition, the Antares medium-class rocket is set to carry its largest cargo load to date, transporting approximately 7,600 pounds (3,450 kilograms) of vital supplies and scientific equipment aboard Cygnus.

Antares is carrying two secondary payloads on its second stage. These small satellites include one NASA-sponsored 3U CubeSat called Student Aerothermal Spectrometer Satellite of Illinois and Indiana CubeSat (SASSI2) and 60 ThinSats. SASSI was built by students attending the Universities of Indiana and Illinois. The ThinSats program is a science, technology, engineering and mathematics outreach program sponsored by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority for grades 4-12. These satellites were built by students from 70 schools located in 9 states (Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia). After the ThinSats are deployed, students will collect and analyze data transmitted from their satellite for approximately five days before it deorbits and burns up in the atmosphere.

Northrop Grumman names each Cygnus spacecraft in honor of astronauts and individuals who contributed to the United States’ space program. For the NG-11 mission, the company commemorates astronaut Roger Chaffee who was selected by NASA to fly on the first manned mission of the Apollo program in 1967. Lt. Commander Chaffee, and crewmates, Virgil “Gus” Grissom and Ed White II, all died in a tragic accident after a fire occurred in the space capsule during a simulation of the Apollo 1 launch. Unlike his crewmates, Chaffee had not yet traveled to space. The Cygnus spacecraft will represent Roger Chaffee’s planned journey to space in memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could pursue their dreams of space exploration.

On this mission the S.S. Roger Chaffee will demonstrate for the first time the ability to load cargo 24 hours before a scheduled launch. This capability allows time-sensitive payloads to be safely transported to the International Space Station.

Cygnus will be grappled by the crew aboard the International Space Station at approximately 5:30 a.m. EDT on April 19, 2019. The spacecraft will remain attached to the space station for approximately two months before departing with up to 7,700 pounds (approximately 3,500 kilograms) of cargo for disposal. The removal of this disposable cargo is a crucial step in keeping the space station operational.

Once Cygnus is unberthed from the station, it will reposition to deploy three CubeSats using a NanoRacks deployer. The Slingshot CubeSat Deployer System is also scheduled to be installed by astronauts while Cygnus is docked to the station for another round of deployments once the spacecraft unberths. These companies are just two examples of how the Cygnus spacecraft can facilitate commercial businesses through the second phase of its resupply missions to the space station.

After the S.S. Roger Chaffee deploys the hosted CubeSats, it will demonstrate the ability to remain in orbit for an extended duration independent of the space station. This innovation positions Cygnus to be used as a future testbed for various types of hosted payloads. While Cygnus performs this free flight, it will maintain an undisturbed microgravity environment which could host a number of experiments and technology demonstrations in the future. Once this demonstration is complete, Cygnus will perform a safe and destructive reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

The advanced capabilities demonstrated on this mission allow the International Space Station to maximize its potential as an orbiting laboratory and fosters a new economy in low-Earth orbit. Including NG-11, Cygnus will have delivered approximately 30,000kg (66,000 lbs.) of cargo under the CRS-1 contract. Future Cygnus missions will continue to showcase innovations benefitting the space station, commercial partners and deep space missions.

Live coverage of the Antares launch and Cygnus berthing with the station will be available on NASA Television at http://www.nasa.gov/live. Details about the mission can be viewed here.

Northrop Grumman’s Antares Team Demonstrates New Capability to Load Cargo Just Before Launch

By Trina Patterson

Launch operations at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility have taken on a higher tempo - of agility, innovation and speed - as the Antares team prepares the rocket to take on a new capability. Soon a specialized removable nose cone called a “pop-top” and a mobile payload processing facility will provide direct access to the company’s Cygnus spacecraft for cargo loading just 24 hours before launch.

Operators maneuver the mobile payload processing facility over the front of the Antares fairing and seal the opening to provide a clean-room environment. The Antares fairing pop-top is then removed, providing access to Cygnus for loading cargo just 24 hours before launch.

Antares and Cygnus support the company’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA, regularly delivering critical cargo, science experiments and supplies to astronauts on board the International Space Station. This new late load capability is an important feature for time-sensitive scientific experiments and cargo. The first use of Antares’ late load capability will be demonstrated with Northrop Grumman’s eleventh CRS mission (NG-11) planned for April 2019.

In preparation for NG-11, the combined Antares/Cygnus/Virginia Space team is performing a pathfinder, or dry run, of late load operations. A mock first and second stage used to simulate the rocket stack are currently mated with a demonstration Cygnus and the newly designed NG-11 fairing with the pop-top at the forward end.

The program’s current timeline for final cargo load is four days before launch, with Antares rolling out to the pad two days prior to launch. For late load operations, Antares will roll to the pad four days before launch and mate all connections needed for launch except for the liquid oxygen loading line. The team will then raise Antares to its vertical launch position and perform a full combined systems test to verify all systems are working properly.

Once all the pre-launch testing is complete, operators will lower Antares to a horizontal position, maneuver the mobile payload processing facility over the front of the fairing, and seal the opening to provide a clean-room environment. The team will then put platforms in place, remove the pop-top from the nose cone, open the Cygnus hatch, and load the final time-sensitive cargo. After completing the cargo load, operators will close the hatch, remove the mobile payload processing facility, raise Antares to vertical again, and make all final ground connections in preparation for launch.

“We are really excited about Antares’ updated capability for space station resupply, which could also provide late access to satellite payloads,” said Kurt Eberly, vice president, Antares program, Northrop Grumman. “I’m proud of how the engineering and operations team developed such an innovative system and then worked to turn their vision into reality. The successful pathfinder gives us full confidence heading into NG-11.”

Eberly said the combined team really came together to make this pathfinder event possible. Along with the pop-top feature, this is the first fairing that was built in-house at Northrop Grumman’s large composites manufacturing facility in Iuka, Mississippi. Virginia Space, the operator of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad-0A where Antares launches take place, has been an important partner in preparing for the late load operations by making necessary pad modifications and supplying manpower for the pathfinder operation.

Antares also launched the tenth cargo resupply mission for Cygnus on Nov. 17. Today, the NG-10 Cygnus remains at the International Space Station, with departure expected early next year. The S.S. John Young Cygnus berthed with the station on Nov. 19, delivering approximately 7,400 pounds of cargo to the crew on board. Since the company’s first CRS mission in 2014, Northrop Grumman has delivered 51,466 pounds of cargo to the orbiting laboratory (approximately the weight of 60 grand pianos). With several more Cygnus missions on the books, that’s 51,466 pounds and counting.

Click here for more information on November’s NG-10 mission, and stay tuned to our social media accounts for updates on the upcoming NG-11 mission. 

Northrop Grumman Set to Launch 10th Cargo Delivery Mission to the International Space Station for NASA

Dulles, Va. – Nov. 14, 2018 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced it is set to launch the company’s AntaresTM rocket carrying its CygnusTM cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station for NASA. Pending completion of final vehicle testing and acceptable local weather conditions, the launch will take place November 16 with lift-off scheduled for 4:23 a.m. EST from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.

Northrop Grumman’s AntaresTM rocket is set to launch its CygnusTM cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station for the company’s 10th cargo resupply mission for NASA, NG-10. Launch will take place November 16 with lift-off scheduled for 4:23 a.m. EST from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.

The mission, designated NG-10, will be Northrop Grumman’s 10th cargo delivery mission for NASA. The Antares medium-class rocket will carry a cargo load of approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of vital supplies and scientific equipment to support the crew aboard the International Space Station. The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to rendezvous and berth with the station on November 18, 2018.

Northrop Grumman names each Cygnus spacecraft in honor of astronauts and individuals who contributed to the United States’ commercial space program. The NG-10 mission honors John Young, NASA's longest serving astronaut, and a human spaceflight pioneer who helped to lay the foundation for future astronauts to live and work aboard the International Space Station today. Young began his career with the first crewed Gemini mission, Gemini 3, walked on the moon during the Apollo 16 mission, and piloted the maiden flight of the space shuttle, among many other accomplishments. John Young’s bravery and record of NASA "firsts" pushed the boundaries of human space exploration, making him an ideal honoree for the NG-10 mission.

Cygnus will be grappled at the International Space Station at approximately 4:35 a.m. EST on November 18, 2018. The spacecraft will remain attached to the space station for approximately two months before departing with up to 7,400 pounds (approximately 3,350 kilograms) of disposal cargo. The removal of these objects is a crucial step in keeping the space station operational.

On this mission, the “S.S. John Young” is carrying a student-designed experiment sponsored by Northrop Grumman in a partnership with Higher Orbits, a Virginia-based non-profit, and its Go For Launch! program. A team of high school students from the Go For Launch! event in Dulles, Virginia, captured first place for an innovative science experiment that focuses on the evaluation of self-healing materials in microgravity.

Once Cygnus is unberthed from the station, it will reposition to deploy three CubeSats via the NanoRacks External Cygnus Deployment Program from both above and below the space station. This specific NanoRacks’ satellite deployment operation marks the first dual altitude deployment for Cygnus, demonstrating the spacecraft’s capability beyond cargo delivery and removal.

The CubeSat known as MYSat-1, is the first satellite developed by Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. MYSat-1 was developed as part of Khalifa’s Space Systems and Technology Concentration, a joint program established in 2015 in collaboration with UAE-based satellite operator Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) and Northrop Grumman. Engineers from both companies helped develop the initial curriculum for the Concentration, and provided guidance and mentorship during the design phase of the MYSat-1 satellite.

The next phase of the mission features an inaugural flight for the Slingshot CubeSat Deployer System which further demonstrates Cygnus’ capabilities beyond its core cargo delivery function. Cygnus is prepared to support Slingshot, a flexible platform that can fly hosted payloads and CubeSats after installation onto the Cygnus spacecraft by NASA astronauts. Upon completion of its secondary missions, Cygnus will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Live coverage of the Antares launch and Cygnus berthing with the station will be available on NASA Television at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. Details about the mission can be viewed here.

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus Spacecraft Successfully Concludes Ninth Cargo Supply Mission to the International Space Station

DULLES, Va. – July 30, 2018 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced that its “S.S. J.R. Thompson” Cygnus™ spacecraft successfully completed its ninth cargo supply mission to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract. The spacecraft removed more than 6,600 pounds (over 3,000 kilograms) of disposable cargo, a new record for Cygnus. The “S.S. J.R. Thompson” also successfully executed secondary missions that included the demonstration of Cygnus’ ability to reboost the space station and the deployment of six CubeSats into orbit from a NanoRacks CubeSat deployer.

From July 15, 2018 when Northrop Grumman’s “S.S. J.R. Thompson” Cygnus spacecraft left the International Space Station after delivering approximately 7,400 pounds of cargo to astronauts on board. The spacecraft successfully concluded its ninth cargo supply mission on July 30. (Credit: NASA)

The mission officially concluded on July 30 at 5:17 p.m. ET when Cygnus performed a safe, destructive re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand. The spacecraft remained docked for 52 days at the orbiting laboratory and departed the space station on July 15.

“From launch to our safe re-entry, the ‘S.S. J.R. Thompson’ performed every phase of this mission perfectly,” said Frank Culbertson, president, space systems group, Northrop Grumman. “We now turn our attention toward final preparations for the next Cygnus cargo mission later this year with a continued focus on supporting the needs of the crew members aboard the International Space Station, as well as enabling crucial research programs in space.”

The mission began May 21 when Cygnus launched aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares™ rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Upon arrival at the orbiting laboratory, Cygnus delivered approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of cargo, supplies and scientific experiments to the astronauts.

Pending NASA’s specific cargo needs, Northrop Grumman is prepared to launch an additional CRS mission later this year aboard the company’s Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.