On January 30, SpaceX is set to launch Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo ship to the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the collaboration between the two companies. The 20th Commercial Resupply Services (NG-20) mission is scheduled to take off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:07 p.m. ET, with a backup launch opportunity available at 1:18 a.m. ET on February 1. The live webcast of the mission will begin around 15 minutes before liftoff, and viewers can tune in on SpaceX’s website or on X, formerly Twitter.
The Cygnus spacecraft will carry an array of science experiments, food, and other essential supplies for the crew aboard the ISS. The spacecraft will stay docked at the station for about six months, during which time it will periodically fire its engines to nudge the ISS back to a recommended altitude if it drifts out of position. Prior to undocking, the Cygnus will fill up with trash from the station before burning up during reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
This mission marks a significant change for the Cygnus program, as it will be the first time the spacecraft has flown on a SpaceX rocket. Up to now, the Cygnus has flown on Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket, which uses Russian and Ukrainian parts. However, the ongoing conflict following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted the supply chain, leading to the switch to SpaceX. The last time a Cygnus flew to the ISS aboard an Antares rocket was in August last year.
A Historic Collaboration between SpaceX and Northrop Grumman
The Falcon 9 rocket that will launch the Cygnus spacecraft is a veteran of nine previous missions, including Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, and four Starlink missions. The rocket’s first stage will separate from the upper stage carrying the Cygnus spacecraft around eight minutes after launch, and will then return to Earth to land close to the launch site at Kennedy.
NASA will live-stream the Cygnus spacecraft’s arrival at the ISS, with coverage beginning at 2:45 a.m. ET on February 1. Viewers can expect to see the Falcon 9 blasting off from the launchpad, with remote cameras tracking the rocket as it heads rapidly to orbit. The live-stream will also include a rocket’s-eye view of the flight, as well as the crucial docking procedure at the ISS. After the mission, the Cygnus spacecraft will remain docked at the station for about six months before returning to Earth for a controlled reentry.
The collaboration between SpaceX and Northrop Grumman marks a significant milestone in the history of space exploration, and the live webcast of the mission provides an unique opportunity for viewers to witness the launch and arrival of the Cygnus spacecraft at the ISS.
