Northrop Grumman CRS-24 Resupply Mission Targeting April 8 Launch to ISS
Summary: NASA has announced that Northrop Grumman's 24th Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-24) is targeting no earlier than 8:49 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 8, launching from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. The Cygnus XL spacecraft, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, will carry approximately 11,000 pounds of science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station.
Credit: NASA
Mission Overview
The spacecraft is named S.S. Steven R. Nagel in honor of the former NASA astronaut who flew four space shuttle missions, logging more than 720 hours in space.
Following launch, astronauts aboard the station will use the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Cygnus XL on Friday, April 10, before ground controllers install it to the Unity module's Earth-facing port.
Key Payload Highlights
Research and technology demonstrations aboard this Cygnus XL include:
- Cold Atom Lab new module: Advancing quantum science that could improve computing technology and aid in the search for dark matter
- Therapeutic stem cell production hardware: Producing greater numbers of stem cells for blood diseases and cancer research
- Model organisms: Studying the gut microbiome in space
- Space weather receiver: Enhancing space weather models to protect critical infrastructure such as GPS and radar
The spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the station until October before departing with trash and burning up harmlessly during re-entry.