On January 30 th at 12:07 pm EST, SpaceX successfully launched Cygnus CN-20 on a path to the International Space Station. Under clear skies, the Falcon 9 rose skyward from LC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida then headed northeast. B1072 made its tenth flight, powered by RP-1 and Liquid Oxygen.
Separation occurred 2:20 seconds after liftoff. As the second stage ignited its lone engine moments later, the first performed a flip maneuver then a boost-back burn. Grid fins and cold gas thrusters aligned the descending stage. Six minutes after launch, three engines ignited for the
entry burn. This began to slow down the rocket as it lowered to CCSFS. Aligned with LZ-1, the landing burn allowed B1072 to gently touch down on the concrete pad. A double sonic boom spread across the local area.
The second stage burned as planned then shut down. Separation of the CN-20 occurred a bit past fourteen minutes later. The spent stage performs adjustments to line it up with entry and burn-up over the Pacific Ocean. The Cygnus Cargo module will take approximately thirty-three hours to reach the ISS. Canadarm-2 will grapple the approaching spacecraft, allowing it to dock with the Earth-facing Unity port on Thursday February1 st .
The Northrop Grumman 20 th Cygnus craft is named SS Patricia Hillard Robertson, an astronaut who did not survive a plane crash before her scheduled mission to the ISS. It consists of a pressurized cargo module, built by Thanes-Alenia, while the service portion is US built.
Part of NASA’s ISS Commercial Resupply Services program, Cygnus missions previously flew on Antares 230+ rockets, launched from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Russian conflict with Ukraine ended availability of the vehicle and engines. SpaceX will launch Northrup Grumman’s next two Cygnus missions, bridging the gap before the new Antares 300 is ready. On-board CN-20 are food, supplies, and several experiments. SpaceX modified the Falcon 9’s fairings, adding an access hatch for loading of time-critical items. A two-handed surgical micro- robot will demonstrate medical processes in microgravity. A 3D metal printer is designed to make spare parts in space, while a thin film semi-conductor machine tests in similar production conditions. KREPE-2 (Kentucky Re-Entry Probe Experiment) and additional heat shield
prototypes will assess thermal protection systems during re-entry.
After six months attached, the spacecraft departs the ISS for eventual atmospheric burn-up.
By John Howard
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