NASA, Northrop Grumman Complete Cygnus XL Space Station Reboost
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft today fired its thrusters for 20 mins, 43 seconds boosting the International Space Station’s orbit. The post NASA, Northrop Grumman Complete Cygnus XL Space Station Reboost appeared first on NASA Science .
Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL cargo craft successfully completed a space station reboost for the International Space Station (ISS) on April 20. The spacecraft, launching on the Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 24 mission, fired its thrusters for 20 minutes and 43 seconds, boosting the ISS's orbit by 2/10 of a mile at its highest point (apoapsis) and 2.6 miles at its lowest point (perigee).
This reboost, bringing the ISS's orbit to 266.5 x 254.9 miles, follows the spacecraft's arrival on April 13, delivering over 11,000 pounds of supplies and scientific equipment to the orbital complex. Cygnus will remain attached to the ISS until October, when it will be filled with disposal cargo and then safely burn up during its controlled reentry into Earth's atmosphere.
This maneuver sets the stage for the upcoming Progress 96 launch in early September. For more information on ISS activities, follow the space station blog, @space_station on X, and the ISS's official social media accounts.
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