New Delhi: The main engine of a Cygnus XL cargo shuttle stopped earlier than planned during a pair of burns to increase the altitude of the spacecraft. The mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is a commercial resupply mission (CRS-23) by Northrop Grumman, which has upgraded or increased the capacity of the cargo shuttle. NASA has indicated that all the other systems on the Cygnus XL cargo craft is functioning as expected. The cargo shuttle was scheduled to dock with the ISS on 17 September, but now the flight controllers are evaluating an alternative burn plan to reach the orbital complex.
The Cygnus XL cargo craft is headed to the Earth-facing port of the Unity module, on the US segment of the ISS. NASA astronauts are scheduled to capture the Cygnus XL using the Canadarm2 robotic arm on the ISS. The cargo shuttle will then remained docked with the ISS till March 2026. This is the first flight of the Cygnus XL, which is an expanded version of the cargo shuttle, with 33 per cent more cargo capacity. The craft has been dubbed ‘Willie’ in honour of Willie C McCool who perished in the 2003 when the Columbia space shuttle broke apart during reentry.
The cargo on the Cygnus XL
The Cygnus XL is ferrying about 4990 kg of supplies to the ISS, consisting of science experiments, maintenance hardware, supplies for the crew and food. The science payloads on board include experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical sciences and technology development, including one to produce semiconductor crystals in microgravity environment, and another one for the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals. An advanced electric propulsion system is also being tested, along with 3D printing of metal components. There is also specialised hardware to maintain the hardware on the ISS, designed to keep the residents comfortable and safe. There are also consumables meant for the crew.