Cygnus NG-17

{{Short description|2022 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS}}

{{Use American English|date=December 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = NG-17

| image = ISS-66 Cygnus is in the grip of the Canadarm2 robotic arm.jpg

| image_caption = S.S. Piers Sellers after arrival at the ISS

| names_list = CRS NG-17
CRS OA-17 (2016–2018)

| mission_type = ISS resupply

| operator = Northrop Grumman

| website = [https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/nasa-commercial-resupply-mission-ng-17/ Cygnus NG-17]

| mission_duration = {{Time interval|19 February 2022 17:40:03|19 June 2022 06:55|show=dhm|sep=,}}

| spacecraft = S.S. Piers Sellers

| spacecraft_type = Enhanced Cygnus

| manufacturer = {{Ubl|Northrop Grumman|Thales Alenia Space}}

| launch_mass = {{cvt|8050|kg}}

| payload_mass = {{cvt|3729|kg}}

| launch_date = {{Start date text|19 February 2022, 17:40:03|timezone=yes}}{{nbsp}}UTC (12:40:03{{nbsp}}pm{{nbsp}}EST)

| launch_rocket = Antares 230+

| launch_site = MARS, Pad 0A

| disposal_type = Deorbited

| decay_date = {{End date text|29 June 2022, 06:55|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

| docking_port = Unity nadir

| capture_date = 21 February 2022, 09:44{{nbsp}}UTC

| docking_date = 21 February 2022, 12:02{{nbsp}}UTC

| undocking_date = 28 June 2022, 07:00{{nbsp}}UTC

| release_date = 28 June 2022, 11:07{{nbsp}}UTC

| time_docked = {{time interval|21 February 2022 12:02|28 June 2022 07:00|show=dhm|sep=,}}

}}

| cargo_mass = {{cvt|3729|kg}}

| cargo_mass_press = {{cvt|3651|kg}}

| cargo_mass_unpress = {{cvt|78|kg}}

| insignia = Cygnus NG-17 Patch.png

| insignia_caption = NASA mission patch

| programme = Commercial Resupply Services

| previous_mission = SpaceX CRS-24

| next_mission = SpaceX CRS-25

| programme2 = Cygnus flights

| previous_mission2 = NG-16

| next_mission2 = NG-18

}}

NG-17, previously known as OA-17, was the seventeenth flight of the Northrop Grumman robotic resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its sixteenth flight to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. The mission launched on 19 February 2022 at 17:40:03{{nbsp}}UTC.{{cite press release |url=https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-media-to-northrop-grumman-s-february-launch-from-virginia |title=NASA Invites Media to Northrop Grumman's February Launch from Virginia |work=NASA |date=12 January 2022 |access-date=12 January 2022}} It was the sixth launch of Cygnus under the CRS-2 contract.

Orbital ATK’s space division (now part of Northrop Grumman Space Systems) 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, Orbital ATK designed, acquired, built, and assembled these components: Antares, a medium-class launch vehicle; Cygnus, an advanced spacecraft using a Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) provided by industrial partner Thales Alenia Space and a Service Module based on the Orbital GEOStar satellite bus.

History

NG-17 was the sixth Cygnus mission under the Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract.

Production and integration of Cygnus spacecraft are 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 in Dulles, Virginia and Houston, Texas.

Spacecraft

{{main|Cygnus (spacecraft)}}

This was the twelfth flight of the Enhanced-sized Cygnus PCM. Northrop Grumman named this spacecraft after Piers Sellers, in celebration of his role in assembling the International Space Station.

Manifest

Cygnus spacecraft is loaded with {{cvt|3651|kg}} of research, hardware, and crew supplies.

  • Crew supplies: {{cvt|1352|kg}}
  • Science investigations: {{cvt|896|kg}}
  • Spacewalk equipment: {{cvt|60|kg}}
  • Vehicle hardware: {{cvt|1308|kg}}
  • Computer resources: {{cvt|35|kg}}

ISS reboost

Aside from the orbital delivery, Cygnus performed the program's first operational reboost of the ISS. The space station's orbit needs to be changed from time to time as it naturally falls back in Earth's atmosphere.{{Cite web|url=https://www.space.com/space-station-cygnus-ng-17-cargo-ship-launch|title=Northrop Grumman rocket launches Cygnus cargo ship on 2-day trip to space station|author1=Elizabeth Howell|date=19 February 2022|website=Space.com}} The ISS will change its attitude by about 90 degrees before executing the Cygnus reboost on 18 June 2022.{{cite tweet|number=1496613836161441796|user=NASA|title=@RaffaeleDiPalma Yes, the @Space_Station will change its attitude by about 90 degrees before executing a Cygnus reboost.|date=23 February 2022}}{{Cite web |title=Schedule of ISS flight events (part 2) |url=https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=32006.msg2376422#msg2376422 |access-date=2022-06-16 |website=forum.nasaspaceflight.com}}

On 20 June 2022 at 15:20{{nbsp}}UTC, Cygnus NG-17 gimbal engine was scheduled to fire for 5 minutes and 1 second but the firing was aborted after 5 seconds.{{cite web | url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2022/06/20/cygnus-reboost-aborted-next-steps-being-planned/#.YrCqN3OOxmY.twitter | title=Cyguns Reboost Aborted, Next Steps Being Planned | date=20 June 2022 }}

On Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 17:42{{nbsp}}UTC, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus completed its first limited reboost of the International Space Station. Cygnus’ gimbaled delta velocity engine was used to adjust the space station’s orbit through a reboost of the altitude of the space station. The maneuver lasted 5 minutes, 1 second and raised the station’s altitude 1/10 of a mile at apogee and 5/10 of a mile at perigee.{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Mark |title=Cygnus Cargo Craft Fires Engine for Limited Station Reboost |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2022/06/25/cygnus-cargo-craft-fires-engine-for-limited-station-reboost/ |access-date=2022-06-25 |website=blogs.nasa.gov |date=25 June 2022 |language=en-US}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/northrop-grumman.html|title=Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply|work=ISS Program Office|publisher=NASA |date=1 July 2019|access-date=27 December 2020}} {{PD-notice}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/content/overview-for-northrop-grummans-17th-commercial-resupply-mission|title=Overview for Northrop Grumman's 17th Commercial Resupply Mission|work=ISS Program Office|publisher=NASA|date=14 February 2022|access-date=20 February 2022|archive-date=14 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214230234/https://www.nasa.gov/content/overview-for-northrop-grummans-17th-commercial-resupply-mission/|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}

{{cite news|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/06/orbital-atk-crs2-cygnus-flights-antares-commercial/|title=Orbital ATK looks ahead to CRS-2 Cygnus flights, Antares on the commercial market|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|first=Chris|last=Gebhardt|date=1 June 2018|access-date=27 December 2020}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/cygnus-spacecraft/|title=Cygnus Spacecraft|publisher=Northrop Grumman|date=6 January 2020|access-date=27 December 2020}}

{{cite web|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/10/01/northrop-grumman-optimistic-to-receive-more-nasa-cargo-mission-orders/|title=Northrop Grumman "optimistic" to receive more NASA cargo mission orders|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=1 October 2020|access-date=27 December 2020}}

{{cite web|url=http://spacenews.com/nasa-orders-two-more-iss-cargo-missions-from-orbital-atk/|title=NASA Orders Two More ISS Cargo Missions From Orbital ATK|publisher=SpaceNews|date=17 August 2015|access-date=27 December 2020}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/nasa-commercial-resupply-mission-ng-17/|title=NASA Commercial Resupply Mission NG-17|publisher=Northrop Grumman|date=26 January 2022 |access-date=26 January 2022}}

}}