Cygnus NG-24
| Names | CRS NG-24 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | ISS resupply |
| Operator | Northrop Grumman |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | S.S. Steven R. Nagel |
| Spacecraft type | Cygnus XL |
| Manufacturer |
|
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | April 8, 2026 (planned) |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral, SLC‑40 |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Inclination | 51.66° |
Mission patch | |
NG-24 is a planned cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract. Operated by Northrop Grumman, the flight is scheduled to launch no earlier than April 8, 2026, aboard a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket.[1][2] The spacecraft is named the S.S. Steven R. Nagel.[3]
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).[4]
It is expected to be 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.[5] Cygnus NG-25, slated for late 2026, is planned to be the first Cygnus launch with the newly-developed Antares 330 rocket.[6]
Background
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.[7]
Manifest
Included on the manifest is LEOPARDSat-1, a 1U CubeSat that will test the effectiveness of thin carbon sheeting to block radiation. It was developed by CubeCats, a student organization at the University of Cincinnati.[8][9]
Mission
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.[7] Thales Alenia Space shared that the PCM had left their clean room bound for the Kennedy Space Center on January 30, 2026.[10]
See also
References
- ^ Tribou, Richard (February 12, 2026). "Space Coast launch schedule". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ^ Dodson, Gerelle Q. (March 6, 2026). "NASA Invites Media to Northrop Grumman CRS-24 Station Resupply Launch". NASA. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "NASA Commercial Resupply Mission NG-24". Northrop Grumman. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (August 3, 2023). "Northrop Grumman planning Cygnus upgrades". SpaceNews. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ "CRS NG-24 Mission". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ^ Davenport, Justin (September 14, 2025). "SpaceX launches Cygnus XL to ISS on CRS NG-23 mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ^ a b "Cygnus Spacecraft". Northrop Grumman. January 6, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ Weingartner, Tana (January 14, 2026). "NASA will soon send a satellite built by UC students into space". WVXU. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ^ Barrier, Katherine (February 7, 2026). "University of Cincinnati students build satellite for NASA mission". Cincinnati CityBeat. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ^ 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" (Tweet). Retrieved February 2, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
External links
- Cygnus NG-24– Northrop Grumman website