SpaceX, NASA and Northrop Grumman Prepare for Critical Resupply Mission to International Space Station

Cygnus Spacecraft   Image Credit: Northrop Grumman/ NASA

Resupply Mission

The Cygnus spacecraft is packed with over 8,200 pounds of supplies, including:

- Scientific experiments and equipment to support dozens of research investigations during Expeditions 71 and 72
- Hardware to upgrade and maintain the ISS's systems and infrastructure
- Critical materials to support the daily lives of the astronauts on board

The spacecraft will arrive at the ISS on Monday, August 5, and will be captured by NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick using the station's robotic arm. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module's Earth-facing port and will spend almost six months connected to the orbiting laboratory before departing in January 2025.

NASA’s Northrop Grumman 21st commercial resupply mission will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to deliver research and supplies to the International Space Station. NASA

Scientific Investigations

The resupply mission includes several ground-breaking scientific investigations, such as:

Gravitational Effects on Filtration Systems: A study on how gravity affects two-phase flow in porous media, which could lead to improvements in water purification and heating and cooling systems.
 Cell Production on Station: An experiment to produce human hematopoietic stem cells in space, which could lead to breakthroughs in treating blood diseases and cancers.
Spaceflight Effects on DNA: A study on how spaceflight affects DNA repair mechanisms in microscopic organisms, which could improve our understanding of DNA damage and repair.
Bioprinting Tissue Maturation: An investigation into the development of blood vessels in engineered liver tissue constructs in microgravity.

Cargo Highlights

The resupply mission includes critical hardware, such as:

- International Space Station Roll Out Solar Array Modification Kit 8: An upgrade kit to support the installation of new solar arrays, which will augment the station's original solar arrays and provide a net increase in power.
- Plant Habitat Environmental Control System: A component of the Advanced Plant Habitat to control temperature, humidity, and air flow, supporting plant bioscience research in orbit.
- Rate Gyro Enclosure Assembly: A spare unit to determine the rate of angular motion of the ISS, ensuring the station's stability and navigation.
- European Enhanced Exercise Device & Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System (E4D VIS) Assembly Kit : A kit to support the assembly of the E4D exercise device, designed to prevent muscle and bone deterioration during long space missions.