Cygnus NG-12
{{Short description|2019 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = NG-12
| image = ISS-61 Cygnus NG-12 approaching the ISS (4).jpg
| image_caption = Canadarm2 approaches the S.S. Alan Bean
| names_list = CRS NG-12
CRS OA-12 (2016–2018)
| mission_type = ISS resupply
| operator = Northrop Grumman
| mission_duration = {{time interval|2 November 2019 13:59:47|17 March 2020 23:00|show=dhm|sep=,}}
| spacecraft = S.S. Alan Bean
| spacecraft_type = Enhanced Cygnus
| manufacturer = {{Ubl|Northrop Grumman|Thales Alenia Space}}
| launch_date = {{Start date text|2 November 2019, 13:59:47|timezone=yes}}{{nbsp}}UTC (9:59:47{{nbsp}}am{{nbsp}}EST)
| launch_rocket = Antares 230+
| disposal_type = Deorbited
| decay_date = {{End date text|17 March 2020, 23:00|timezone=yes}}{{nbsp}}UTC
| orbit_reference = Geocentric orbit
| orbit_regime = Low Earth orbit
| orbit_inclination = 51.66°
| apsis = gee
| docking = {{Infobox spaceflight/Dock
| docking_target = ISS
| docking_type = berth
| capture_date = 4 November 2019, 09:10{{nbsp}}UTC
| docking_date = 4 November 2019, 11:21{{nbsp}}UTC
| undocking_date = 31 January 2020, 13:10{{nbsp}}UTC
| release_date = 31 January 2020, 14:36{{nbsp}}UTC
| time_docked = {{time interval|4 November 2019 11:21|31 January 2020 14:36|show=dhm|sep=,}}
}}
| cargo_mass = {{cvt|3705|kg}}
| cargo_mass_press = {{cvt|3586|kg}}
| cargo_mass_unpress = {{cvt|119|kg}}
| insignia = Cygnus NG-12 Patch.png
| insignia_caption = NASA insignia
| programme = Commercial Resupply Services
| previous_mission = SpaceX CRS-18
| next_mission = SpaceX CRS-19
| programme2 = Cygnus flights
| previous_mission2 = NG-11
| next_mission2 = NG-13
}}
NG-12, previously known as OA-12, was the thirteenth flight of the Northrop Grumman robotic resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its twelfth Commercial Resupply Services flight to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA. The mission launched on 2 November 2019 at 13:59:47 UTC). This was the first launch of Cygnus under the Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) contract.
Orbital ATK and NASA jointly developed a new space transportation system to provide commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station (ISS). Under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, then Orbital Sciences designed and built Antares, a medium-class launch vehicle; Cygnus, an advanced maneuvering spacecraft, and a Pressurized Cargo Module which is provided by Orbital's industrial partner Thales Alenia Space. Northrop Grumman purchased Orbital ATK in June 2018; its ATK division was renamed Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.{{cite news|url=http://spacenews.com/acquisition-of-orbital-atk-approved-company-renamed-northrop-grumman-innovation-systems/|title=Acquisition of Orbital ATK approved, company renamed Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems|publisher=SpaceNews|first=Sandra|last=Erwin|date=5 June 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018}}
History
Cygnus NG-12 was the first mission under the Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract and launched 2 November 2019 at 13:59:47{{nbsp}}UTC.
Spacecraft
{{main|Cygnus (spacecraft)}}
Production and integration of Cygnus spacecraft is performed in Dulles, Virginia. The Cygnus service module is mated with the pressurized cargo module at the launch site, and mission operations are conducted from control centers at Dulles, Virginia and Houston, Texas. This is the ninth flight of the Enhanced-sized Cygnus PCM.
In 2019, the spacecraft was named the S.S. Alan Bean.{{cite news|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-102419a-northrop-grumman-ng12-alan-bean.html|title=Northrop Grumman names 12th Cygnus ship for Apollo 12 astronaut|date=October 24, 2019|publisher=collectSPACE|access-date=October 24, 2019}}
Manifest
Total weight of cargo: {{cvt|3705|kg}}, consisting of {{cvt|3705|kg}} in pressurized cargo and {{cvt|119|kg}} in unpressurized cargo.{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/ng_crs-12_overview.pdf|title=Northrop Grumman CRS-12 Mission Overview|publisher=NASA|access-date=5 November 2019}} {{PD-notice}}
- Crew supplies: {{cvt|680|kg}}
- Science investigations: {{cvt|1983|kg}}
- Spacewalk equipment: {{cvt|107|kg}}
- Vehicle hardware: {{cvt|756|kg}}
- Computer resources: {{cvt|17|kg}}
- Russian hardware: {{cvt|11|kg}}
- Northrop Grumman-related equipment: {{cvt|35|kg}}
Among the cargo delivered was a special made oven for use in space, and some cookie dough. The crew of ISS attempt to use the device to bake chocolate chip cookies in space (a first time for this kind of space activity). The baking of cookies in space attracted some international media attention when the mission was arriving at the space station.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-50277680|title=Cookies in space: Oven sent to ISS for baking experiments|publisher=BBC|date=2 November 2019|access-date=5 November 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/03/us/cookies-in-space-trnd/index.html|title=Out of this world dessert: Cookie dough and oven headed to space station|publisher=CNN|first=Theresa|last=Waldrop|date=3 November 2019|access-date=5 November 2019}}
Another research-related item delivered is the AstroRad radiation protective vest, which astronauts will wear to determine the degree of flexibility and freedom of movements experienced by them while working with these vests. This feedback will be used to possibly improve the comfort and ergonomics of the radiation vests if needed. AstroRad is useful in significantly reducing the short-term deterministic effects such as acute radiation syndrome and the probability of stochastic effects such as cancer in long-term ex-LEO missions.{{cite journal|last1=Hu |first1=Shaowen|last2=Kim|first2=Myung-Hee Y.|last3=McClellan|first3=Gene E.|last4=Cucinotta|first4=Francis A.|title=Modeling the Acute Health Effects of Astronauts from Exposure to Large Solar Particle Events|date=April 2009|url=http://journals.lww.com/00004032-200904000-00006|journal=Health Physics|volume=96|issue=4|pages=465–476|doi=10.1097/01.HP.0000339020.92837.61|pmid=19276707|issn=0017-9078|hdl=2060/20110014511|s2cid=24011927|hdl-access=free|url-access=subscription}}{{cite journal |last1=Cucinotta|first1=Francis A|last2=Durante|first2=Marco|date=May 2006|title=Cancer risk from exposure to galactic cosmic rays: implications for space exploration by human beings |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1470204506706957|journal=The Lancet Oncology|volume=7|issue=5|pages=431–435|doi=10.1016/S1470-2045(06)70695-7|pmid=16648048|url-access=subscription}}
The Houston Methodist Institute, in collaboration with Lamborghini sent some carbon fiber reinforced polymers aboard the mission. The project seeks to leverage the harsh space environment to test the performance of five proprietary carbon fiber materials, including forged and 3D-printed carbon fiber composites, developed by Lamborghini for aerospace applications. The research team will assess the ability of the materials to withstand exposure to temperature fluctuations, radiation, and atomic oxygen.{{cite web|title=Testing Lamborghini Carbon-Fiber Composites in the Extreme Space Environment|url=https://www.issnationallab.org/iss360/lamborghini-houston-methodist-research-ngcrs12/ |publisher=ISS National Laboratory|date=8 November 2019|access-date=24 February 2022}}
Cygnus NG-12 tested the Cygnus External Payload Carrier which is used to deliver external payloads to the station or remove degraded ones. SOLAR and the SDS were the first payloads transferred to the spacecraft for disposal.{{cite web|title=Cygnus departs space station, deploys CubeSats|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/02/03/cygnus-departs-space-station-deploys-cubesats/ |last=Clark|first=Stephen|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=2020-06-12}}
Extension
Northrop Grumman's customer with a payload on the Cygnus (Lynk) sought extra time in orbit, a request that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved on 3 March 2020. The FCC approval provided the potential to extend this testing until as late as 2 April 2020. "The extension of our license by the FCC allows Northrop Grumman to extend our NG-12 mission beyond our original completion date, enabling us to offer increased operational flexibility for our customers". Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager of Tactical Space at Northrop Grumman, said in the statement. "The NG-12 spacecraft remains in excellent health as we carry out a few more weeks of in-orbit operations".{{cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/cygnus-mission-extended-for-tests-of-communications-payload/|title=Cygnus mission extended for tests of communications payload|publisher=SpaceNews|first=Jeff|last=Foust|date=4 March 2020}}
The spacecraft was deorbited at about 23:00{{nbsp}}UTC on 17 March 2020.
See also
References
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Category:Supply vehicles for the International Space Station
Category:Spacecraft launched in 2019