Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL freighter arrives at ISS
On September 18, Northrop Grumman's new Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station after a slight delay caused by a thruster issue.
NASA astronaut Jonny Kim used the station's robotic arm to grab the freighter while it was orbiting 418km above Earth.
Launched on SpaceX Falcon 9
Launched on September 14 from Cape Canaveral atop a SpaceX Falcon 9, this was Cygnus XL's first trip—and Northrop Grumman's 23rd ISS cargo mission.
The spacecraft delivered about 4990kg of supplies, including materials for semiconductor and pharmaceutical research, upgrades for cryogenic fuel tanks, and a UV system to keep water clean.
Mission named after late Columbia shuttle astronaut
This mission is named S.S. William "Willie" McCool to honor the late Columbia shuttle astronaut.
After some past delays and cancelations, Cygnus flights are back on track.
The spacecraft will stay docked at the ISS until March 2026 before heading back down to burn up in Earth's atmosphere.