Northrop Grumman’s next-generation Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft began its maiden voyage to the International Space Station (ISS) Sunday evening, following a flawless launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Yesterday evening, the Falcon 9 successfully launched the CRS-23 mission from SLC-40, delivering over 11,000 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station. Credit: Danushka Nilanga for Space FrontPage
Liftoff from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) occurred at 6:11 a.m. EDT (2211 UTC). Just eight minutes later, the Falcon 9 booster—flying for the fourth time—returned to Earth with a sonic boom, touching down at Landing Zone 2. This marks one of the final landings at the site, as SpaceX prepares a new pad adjacent to SLC-40, expected to be ready in early 2026.
More than 14 minutes into flight, the Cygnus XL was deployed from the rocket’s upper stage. NASA confirmed that its twin UltraFlex solar arrays unfurled successfully about 90 minutes later. The spacecraft is set for a two-day cruise before NASA astronaut Jonny Kim captures it with the ISS robotic arm on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 6:35 a.m. EDT. Berthing operations will follow shortly afterward.
The NG-23 mission marks the 22nd operational flight of a Cygnus spacecraft under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract, but the first flight of the enlarged Cygnus XL variant. The new design offers 33 percent more cargo volume—roughly the size of two Apollo command modules combined.
“This upgrade required us to carefully assess thermal, life support, and robotic arm operations on the ISS,” said Dina Contella, deputy manager for NASA’s ISS Program.
Credit: NASA
The spacecraft, named S.S. William “Willie” C. McCool in honor of the late Space Shuttle Columbia pilot, is carrying more than 11,000 pounds (4,990 kg) of supplies and research equipment. It will remain attached to the ISS until late spring 2026, with a temporary un-berthing planned in November to make way for a Russian Soyuz crew arrival.
Science and Research Cargo
Among the 50-plus investigations onboard:
Zero Boil-Off Tank Noncondensables (ZBOT-NC): A Case Western Reserve and NASA Glenn experiment to validate computational fluid dynamics models for cryogenic propellant storage, critical for future Artemis lunar missions and commercial refueling systems.
Pharmaceutical In-Space Laboratory 11 (ADSEP-PIL-11): Conducted with Bristol Myers Squibb and Redwire Space, the study grows drug crystals in microgravity, with potential applications in cancer, cardiovascular, immune, and neurodegenerative disease treatments.
“These studies could directly influence aerospace engineering and pharmaceutical development back on Earth,” said Dr. Liz Warren, associate chief scientist for NASA’s ISS Program Research Office.
The NG-23 flight launched earlier than scheduled after the NG-22 Cygnus was damaged in transit. NASA shuffled its resupply manifest to keep the station fully stocked.
While this was slated to be the last of three Falcon 9–launched Cygnus missions, Northrop Grumman has confirmed NG-24 will also ride a Falcon 9 in 2026. Beyond that, the company is preparing the Antares 330, a new medium-lift rocket developed with Firefly Aerospace to replace the retired Antares 230+, which relied on Russian RD-181 engines.
“With Antares 330, we’re on track for a U.S.-built launch system by 2026,” said Ryan Tinter, vice president of Civil Space Systems at Northrop Grumman.
To date, Cygnus has delivered more than 71,000 kilograms of cargo to the ISS. With the debut of the Cygnus XL, Northrop Grumman is positioning itself to support NASA’s evolving needs for larger, more capable resupply missions.
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