Names | CRS OA-18 |
---|---|
Mission type | ISS resupply |
Operator | NASA |
COSPAR ID | 2022-149A |
SATCAT no. | 54232![]() |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | Enhanced Cygnus |
Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems Thales Alenia Space |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | Spring 2023 (planned) [1][2] |
Rocket | Antares 230+ |
Launch site | MARS, LP-0A |
Contractor | Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems |
End of mission | |
Disposal | Deorbited |
Decay date | 2023 (planned) |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
Regime | Low Earth orbit |
Inclination | 51.66° |
Berthing at ISS | |
Berthing port | Harmony or Unity |
Cygnus NG-18, previously known as CRS OA-18, is the eighteenth planned 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-2) contract with NASA. The mission is planned to launch in Spring 2023.[1][2][3] This is the seventh launch of Cygnus under the CRS-2 contract.[4][5]
Orbital ATK (now Northrop Grumman Innovation 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.[6]
History
Cygnus NG-18 is the seventh Cygnus mission under the Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract. Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems confirmed on February 23, 2021 that Thales Alenia Space of Turin, Italy, will fabricate two additional Pressurized Cargo Modules (PCMs) for a pair of forthcoming Commercial Resupply Services-2 missions. Current plans are for the two additional Cygnus spacecraft to be designated NG-18 and NG-19.[2]
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.[6]
Spacecraft
This will be the thirteenth flight of the Enhanced-sized Cygnus PCM.[5][7]
Manifest
Cygnus spacecraft is loaded with 0 kg (0 lb) of research, hardware, and crew supplies.[8]
- Crew supplies: 0 kg (0 lb)
- Science investigations: 0 kg (0 lb)
- Spacewalk equipment: 0 kg (0 lb)
- Vehicle hardware: 0 kg (0 lb)
- Computer resources: 0 kg (0 lb)
Research
The new experiments arriving at the orbiting laboratory will inspire future scientists and explorers, and provide valuable insight for researchers.
NASA Glenn Research Center studies: [9]
- TBD
See also
References
- ^ a b "Microgravity Research Flights". Glenn Research Center. NASA. 22 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c Evans, Ben (23 February 2021). "Northrop Grumman Green-Lights Two More Cygnus Missions, As NG-15 Arrives at Space Station". AmericaSpace. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ Clark, Stephen. "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ Gebhardt, Chris (1 June 2018). "Orbital ATK looks ahead to CRS-2 Cygnus flights, Antares on the commercial market". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ a b Clark, Stephen (1 October 2020). "Northrop Grumman "optimistic" to receive more NASA cargo mission orders". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Cygnus Spacecraft". Northrop Grumman. 6 January 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ Leone, Dan (17 August 2015). "NASA Orders Two More ISS Cargo Missions From Orbital ATK". spacenews.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ "Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply". ISS Program Office. NASA. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "ISS Research Program". Glenn Research Center. NASA. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.