After a 36 hour phasing profile, the S.S. Ellison Onizuka cargo ship, part of Northrop Grumman\u2019s NG-16 mission, has arrived at the International Space Station (ISS). Safely in the grip of Canadarm2, Cygnus was attached to the nadir port of the Unity (Node-1) module for the multi-month cargo delivery and removal process.<\/p>\n
Speaking before the berthing, Northrop Grumman\u2019s Frank DeMauro discussed future Cygnus missions to the station as well as non-ISS uses for the craft \u2014 which has become more than just a cargo transport vehicle and has already seen its technology incorporated into the HALO habitation module for NASA\u2019s upcoming Lunar Gateway station.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Delivering a total of 3,723 kg of crew supplies, unpressurized cargo, science experiments, spacewalk equipment, station hardware, and computer equipment, the NG-16 mission is the fifth of six guaranteed flights to the station under the CRS2 (Commercial Resupply Services 2) contract with NASA.<\/p>\n
While only one flight, NG-17, remains per the original CRS2 guarantee, NASA has already awarded Northrop Grumman two additional extension missions, NG-18 and NG-19 \u2014 all of which are set to be \u201cMission A\u201d types.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe refer to them as our Mission A,\u201d stated Frank DeMauro, Sector Vice President and General Manager, Tactical Space Systems at Northrop Grumman, in an interview with NASASpaceflight. \u201cThat\u2019s the Antares-launched Cygnus which delivers [up to] 3,750 kg of cargo. It\u2019s the same mission type, so far, that NASA\u2019s ordered all the way through 19.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n