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Northrop Grumman sending four tons of research and supplies to ISS with NG-14 night launch

October 1, 2020: Scrubbed two minutes before liftoff due to off nominal data. Next attempt as soon as 24 hours later.


Following Delta IV Heavy and Falcon 9 launch scrubs, a third rocket is scheduled for liftoff from the East Coast of the United States this week. Northrop Grumman will launch its Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft from Wallops Island in Virginia between 9:38 and 9:43 p.m. ET tonight.

What to know

  • NG CRS-14 mission will send almost 8,000 pounds of research and supplies to the International Space Station
  • Cargo resupply missions from Earth help astronauts continue living and conducting scientific research on ISS
  • 70% chance of favorable weather at Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia

About the mission

Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket will propel the Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS with an arrival set for Sunday, October 4. Cygnus will remain at the ISS through mid-December when the Spacecraft Fire Safety V experiment will be conducted.

The Saffire-V investigation builds on the previous Saffire experiment using the Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo resupply vehicle after it leaves the International Space Station (ISS). Saffire-V examines fire growth in the range of pressures and oxygen concentrations expected in future exploration spacecraft. Saffire-V also demonstrates fire detection, combustion product monitoring, and post-fire cleanup using hardware similar to that planned for future human exploration spacecraft. Data obtained from Saffire-V is to be used in the validation modeling of spacecraft fire response scenarios. Saffire-V increases our confidence in fire safety equipment and strategies for future spacecraft.

NASA.gov

The Cygnus spacecraft headed to the space station is named after NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla who died in 2003 when Space Shuttle Columbia was destroyed during re-entry.

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