Engineering:Cygnus NG-24

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NG-24
The NG‑24 spacecraft spacecraft is held in the grips of the Canadarm2
NamesCRS NG-24
Mission typeISS resupply
OperatorNorthrop Grumman
Mission duration66 days, 6 hours and 46 minutes (in progress)
6 months (planned)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftS.S. Steven R. Nagel
Spacecraft typeCygnus XL
Manufacturer
Start of mission
Launch dateApril 11, 2026, 11:41:21 UTC (7:41:21 am EDT)
RocketFalcon 9 Block 5 (B1094‑7)
Launch siteCape Canaveral, SLC‑40
ContractorSpaceX
End of mission
DisposalDeorbiting (planned)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination51.66°
Berthing at ISS
Berthing portUnity nadir
RMS captureApril 13, 2026, 17:20 UTC
Berthing dateApril 13, 2026, 20:00 UTC
Unberthing dateOctober 2026 (planned)
RMS releaseOctober 2026 (planned)
Time berthed63 days, 22 hours and 27 minutes
Cargo
Mass5,000 kg (11,020 lb)[1]

Mission patch
← Cygnus NG-23
SpaceX CRS-34 →
 
← NG-23
NG-25 →

NG-24 is a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract.[2][3] Operated by Northrop Grumman and flying aboard a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, the mission launched on April 11, 2026, at 11:41 UTC from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40.[4][5]

The spacecraft is named the S.S. Steven R. Nagel.[6] Following NG-23, the mission is the second to use the Cygnus XL spacecraft configuration, featuring a pressurized cargo module measuring 7.89 meters (25.9 ft) in length, with a payload capacity of 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb) and a pressurized cargo volume of 36 cubic metres (1,300 cu ft).[7]

It is the fourth and final Cygnus launch on a Falcon 9, arranged after Northrop Grumman's Antares 230+ was retired in 2023 due to supply chain disruptions stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[8] Cygnus NG-25, slated for late 2026, is planned to be the first Cygnus launch with the newly-developed Antares 330 rocket.[9]

Background

Main article: Engineering:Cygnus (spacecraft)

The Cygnus cargo spacecraft was developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation with partial funding from NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. It pairs a pressurized cargo module built by Thales Alenia Space—derived from the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module used on the Space Shuttle—with a service module based on Orbital's GEOStar satellite bus.

The first Standard Cygnus flew in 2013, followed by the larger Enhanced Cygnus in 2015. Orbital Sciences became Orbital ATK in 2015 and was acquired by Northrop Grumman in 2018. Since then, Northrop Grumman has continued CRS operations. NG-24 is the twelfth Cygnus mission under the CRS-2 contract.[10]

Manifest

Technicians conduct prelaunch operations on the cargo module of the NG‑24 spacecraft

The Cygnus spacecraft was loaded with a total of 5,000 kilograms (11,020 lb) of cargo and supplies before its launch.

The cargo manifest is broken down as follows:[1]

  • Crew supplies: 1,410 kg (3,108 lb)
  • Science investigations: 1,075 kg (2,369 lb)
  • Spacewalk equipment: 65 kg (143 lb)
  • Vehicle hardware: 2,120 kg (4,673 lb)
  • Computer resources: 330 kg (727 lb)

NASA highlighted several research projects being delivered to the ISS on this mission. These include a new module for the Cold Atom Laboratory, hardware and model organisms for biological research, and a radio receiver for observing the ionosphere.[11]

The mission will include bringing ClimCam (Climate Camera) to the ISS, to be attached to the Bartolomeo platform of the Columbus External Payload Facility. Developed by the Kenya Space Agency, the Egyptian Space Agency, and the Uganda national space program, the ClimCam Payload will be used for climate and weather observation in East Africa.[12]

NG-24 also carried 6 CubeSats developed as part of NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative including; Coconut (ASU), HUCSat (Harvard), LEOPARDSat-1 (Cincinnati), and three satellites for the Pleiades Rapid Orbital Verification Experiment System (PROVES).[13]

Mission

Composite image of NG-24 launch from SLC-40 and subsequent booster landing at LZ-40, capturing both events 8 minutes apart

The Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) was manufactured by Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, and assembly of the service module for the NG-24 spacecraft took place at Northrop Grumman's facility in Dulles, Virginia.[10] Thales Alenia Space shared that the PCM had left their clean room bound for the Kennedy Space Center on January 30, 2026.[14] The spacecraft was launched on April 11, 2026, at 11:41 UTC.[4][5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Garcia, Mark A. (April 6, 2026). "NASA's Northrop Grumman CRS-24 Mission Overview" (in en-US). https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/nasas-northrop-grumman-crs-24-mission-overview/. 
  2. ↑ Tribou, Richard (April 2, 2026). "Space Coast launch schedule" (in en). https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/04/02/space-coast-launch-schedule/. 
  3. ↑ Dodson, Gerelle Q. (March 6, 2026). "NASA Invites Media to Northrop Grumman CRS-24 Station Resupply Launch" (in en). https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-invites-media-to-northrop-grumman-crs-24-station-resupply-launch/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "SpaceX launches huge 'Cygnus XL' cargo ship carrying over 5 tons of supplies to ISS astronauts (video)" (in en). April 11, 2026. https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/northrop-grumman-second-cygnus-xl-cargo-launch-spacex-iss. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Davenport, Justin (April 11, 2026). "Falcon 9 launches CRS NG-24 cargo ship to ISS" (in en-US). https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/04/crs-ng-24-launch/. 
  6. ↑ "NASA Commercial Resupply Mission NG-24" (in en). https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/space/missions/nasa-commercial-resupply-mission-ng-24. 
  7. ↑ Foust, Jeff (August 3, 2023). "Northrop Grumman planning Cygnus upgrades". https://spacenews.com/northrop-grumman-planning-cygnus-upgrades/. 
  8. ↑ "CRS NG-24 Mission". https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7075/. 
  9. ↑ Davenport, Justin (September 14, 2025). "SpaceX launches Cygnus XL to ISS on CRS NG-23 mission" (in en). https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/09/crs-ng-23/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Cygnus Spacecraft". Northrop Grumman. January 6, 2020. https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/cygnus-spacecraft/. 
  11. ↑ Taveau, Jessica (April 3, 2026). "NASA Sets Coverage for Northrop Grumman's CRS-24 Resupply Launch" (in en-US). https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-northrop-grummans-crs-24-resupply-launch/. 
  12. ↑ Gichigi, James (April 3, 2026). "ClimCam: Kenya, Egypt and Uganda's climate camera heads to space" (in en). https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2026-04-03-kenya-egypt-and-uganda-to-launch-climate-camera-to-space. 
  13. ↑ Lockhart, Leejay. "NASA Launches Six CubeSats to International Space Station". https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasa-launches-six-cubesats-to-international-space-station/. 
  14. ↑ Thales Alenia Space [@Thales_Alenia_S] (January 30, 2026). "A step closer to the #SpaceStation: The NG-24 Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module left our clean room in Turin and is on its way to the Kennedy Space Center, where Northrop Grumman will complete final preparations to make it ready for space. @NASA @thalesgroup @LDO_Space @ALTECSpace" (in en). https://twitter.com/Thales_Alenia_S/status/2017261529444286654. 

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