Primary Launch Day 14 SEP 2202Z-2305ZBackup Launch Day 15 SEP 2139Z-2242ZBackup Launch Day 16 SEP 2114Z-2217ZBackup Launch Day 17 SEP 2051Z-2154ZBackup Launch Day 18 SEP 2028Z-2131ZBackup Launch Day 19 SEP 2006Z-2109Z
BackgroundA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch Cygnus NG-23, a planned cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract. The spacecraft is named S.S. William "Willie" C. McCool in honor of the NASA astronaut who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. The first stage booster will return to land at LZ-2.
090834Z SEP 25NAVAREA IV 958/25(11).NORTH ATLANTIC.FLORIDA.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 142202Z TO 142305Z SEP, ALTERNATE 152139Z TO 152242Z, 162114Z TO 162217Z, 172051Z TO 172154Z, 182028Z TO 182131Z AND 192006Z TO 192109Z SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 28-40.35N 080-38.63W, 28-49.00N 080-25.00W, 28-50.00N 080-17.00W, 28-45.00N 080-11.00W, 28-39.00N 080-13.00W, 28-27.24N 080-31.58W.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 192209Z SEP 25.//
090822Z SEP 25HYDROPAC 2310/25(83).SOUTH PACIFIC.DNC 06.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 142309Z TO 142350Z, 152246Z TO 152327Z, 162221Z TO 162302Z, 172158Z TO 172239Z, 182135Z TO 182216Z AND 192113Z TO 192154Z SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 29-06.00S 147-57.00W, 27-39.00S 149-23.00W, 42-51.00S 171-18.00W, 44-17.00S 169-33.00W.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 192254Z SEP 25.//
In space, orbital debris travels faster than a speeding bullet. To make the orbit around Earth safer for astronauts, satellites, and spacecraft, aerospace startup TransAstra Corporation developed an innovative debris removal technology. The Capture Bag system can trap objects of different shapes and sizes and even those that are tumbling, a common challenge in space debris removal. To advance the technology, the company is sending the system to the International Space Station for testing in an investigation sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®.“The beauty of this technology is that we can pretty much capture anything that fits into the bag, whether that is an asteroid or a satellite,” said TransAstra chief engineer Thibaud Talon. “The system is designed around an inflatable, pressurized structure. Gravity plays a big role in how the bag behaves, so it is critical to demonstrate how it works in actual microgravity.For the investigation, the Capture Bag will be inflated inside Voyager Technologies’ Bishop Airlock on the space station. The airlock provides isolation from the atmosphere of the ISS cabin and can be depressurized to mimic conditions in space. The team will observe the bag’s deployment using four cameras in Bishop Airlock and one inside the Capture Bag system.“We’ve tested Capture Bag extensively in vacuum conditions on the ground but deploying it in microgravity is the only way to be sure that we understand how this works,” said TransAstra CEO Joel Sercel.The system is designed so that a carrier vehicle can take the bag to a target, open it, fly it over the target, and then close and cinch the bag. The bag can re-open as well, which allows the system to capture multiple pieces of debris during one flight. The captured items can then be safely de-orbited, placed in a higher “graveyard” orbit, or taken to an in-orbit repurposing station where a potential hazard can be turned into something useful. According to TransAstra, relocating debris to a repurposing facility could cost six times less than de-orbiting, use 80 percent less propellant, and clear a given orbit 40 percent faster.
Prelaunch media teleconference with the following participants: • Dina Contella, deputy manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program • Dr. Liz Warren, associate chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program Research Office • Ryan Tintner, vice president, Civil Space Systems, Northrop Grumman • Jared Metter, director, Flight Reliability, SpaceX
Mission HardwareIDA Planar Reflector – This is a reflective element used by visiting spacecraft during docking. The spacecraft bounces a laser off the reflector to compute relative range, velocity, and attitude on approach to the International Space Station. Due to degradation found on the installed reflector, this unit will launch to support a future spacewalk to replace the damaged reflector.Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Distillation Assembly – The urine processor on the space station uses filtration and distillation to separate water from wastewater to produce potable water. This unit is launching as a spare.Reactor Health Sensor – Part of the Environmental Control and Life Support System – Water Processing Assembly, includes two sensors with inlet and outlet ports to measure reactor health. This unit is being launched as a spare.Pressure Management Device – This is an intravehicular activity system for performing pressurization and depressurization of the space station vestibules between the space station hatch and the hatch of a visiting spacecraft or other module, like the NanoRacks Airlock. During depressurization, most of the air will be added to the space station cabin air to save the valuable resource.Air Selector Valve – This electro-mechanical assembly is used to direct airflow through the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly. Two units are launching as spares.Major Constituent Analyzer Mass Spectrometer Assembly – This assembly monitors the partial pressure levels of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, methane, water vapor, and carbon dioxide aboard station. This unit is launching as a contingency spare.Major Constituent Analyzer Mass Sample/Series Pump Assembly – This contains plumbing and a pair of solenoid valves to direct sample gas flow to either of the redundant sample pumps. It draws sample gas from the space station’s atmosphere into the analyzer. This unit is launching as a contingency spare.Major Constituent Analyzer Sample Distribution Assembly – This isolates the gas sample going to the Mass Spectrometer Assembly. The purpose is to distribute gas samples throughout the analyzer. This unit is launching as a contingency spare.Charcoal Bed – The bed allows the Trace Contaminant Control System to remove high molecular weight contaminants from the station’s atmosphere. This unit is launching as a spare.Common Cabin Air Assembly Heat Exchanger – This assembly controls cabin air temperature, humidity, and airflow aboard the space station. This unit is launching as a spare.Sequential Shunt Unit – This regulates the solar array wing voltage when experiencing high levels of direct sunlight; in doing so, it provides usable power to the station’s primary power system. This unit is launching as a spare.Solid State Lighting Assembly – This is a specialized internal lighting assembly aboard station. NASA will use one lighting assembly to replace a failed unit and will keep the others as spares.Remote Power Control Module Type V – This module distributes 120V/DC electrical power and provides current-limiting and fault protection to secondary loads aboard the orbiting laboratory. This module is launching as a spare.Treadmill Isolator Assembly – The Upper, X, Y, and Z Isolator Assemblies are launching as spares for the space station’s treadmill, where they work together to reduce vibration and force transfer when astronauts are running.Pump Fan Motor Controller – The controller is an electronic controller to modulate the power to the motor windings, which are coils of conductive wire that are wrapped around its core carrying electric current to drive the motor. Windings are commonly used in household appliances, cars (power steering), pumps, and more.Quick Don Mask Assembly – This mask is used by the crew, along with the Pre-Breath Assembly, in emergency situations. This unit is launching to replace a unit aboard station.Anomaly Gas Analyzer – This analyzer senses various gases, like oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and others, along with cabin pressure, water vapor and temperature. Two units are launching as an upgrade to the current analyzer system used on board.Nitrogen, Oxygen Resupply Maintenance Kit – One tank of nitrogen and one tank of oxygen used for gas replenishment aboard the space station are launching to maintain gas reserves.Crew and Equipment Translation Aid Luminaire – This is a lighting unit used aboard station to illuminate the astronauts’ equipment cart and surrounding work areas during spacewalks.
• NG-23 will be temporarily unberthed on November 27th to allow Soyuz 74S to dock but may depart early if it cannot be held safely. • Release date planned "~March 2026". • SpaceX CRS-33 1st reboost was successful. • HTV-X launch on October 21st. • No late load requirement means a standard fairing without an access door could be used and sped up operations. • Launch Readiness Review on September 12th. • "Great progress" on Antares 330 for 2026 launch. • NG-24 will launch on Falcon 9. • Damaged NG-22 capsule will be manifested on a future NASA mission, TBD. Extent of damage at sea is still under investigation. • SpaceX hope to RTLS to new landing pad "early next year". • Dream Chaser question dodged.
NASA's Kennedy Space Center@NASAKennedy·Launch day forecast is looking good for NASA's Northrop Grumman CRS-23 mission! 🚀Weather officials predict a 70% chance of favorable weather conditions at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for the liftoff of @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL spacecraft carrying more than 11,000 pounds of supplies to the @Space_Station.Launch is targeted for 6:11pm ET Sept. 14.
NASA’s Northrop Grumman CRS-23 Infographics & Hardware [Sep 11]QuoteMission HardwareIDA Planar Reflector – This is a reflective element used by visiting spacecraft during docking. The spacecraft bounces a laser off the reflector to compute relative range, velocity, and attitude on approach to the International Space Station. Due to degradation found on the installed reflector, this unit will launch to support a future spacewalk to replace the damaged reflector.(snip)
Mission HardwareIDA Planar Reflector – This is a reflective element used by visiting spacecraft during docking. The spacecraft bounces a laser off the reflector to compute relative range, velocity, and attitude on approach to the International Space Station. Due to degradation found on the installed reflector, this unit will launch to support a future spacewalk to replace the damaged reflector.(snip)
Quote from: StraumliBlight on 09/11/2025 05:36 pmNASA’s Northrop Grumman CRS-23 Infographics & Hardware [Sep 11]QuoteMission HardwareIDA Planar Reflector – This is a reflective element used by visiting spacecraft during docking. The spacecraft bounces a laser off the reflector to compute relative range, velocity, and attitude on approach to the International Space Station. Due to degradation found on the installed reflector, this unit will launch to support a future spacewalk to replace the damaged reflector.(snip)WhoaSome of the retroreflectors, the ones on the octagonal on-axis Mir-style target, are replaceable when a docked spacecraft and the ISS have their hatches open. This is not them (although they are probably degraded years ago despite being in the IDA specifications. I know because I was involved in their creation.)The ones outside of the presurizable volume are just outside the mechanical docking interface. They should be bulletproof, literally and figuratively, like the Apollo lunar retroreflector arrays. If they are degraded, something unexpected is wrong.
Quote from: Comga on 09/12/2025 08:49 pmQuote from: StraumliBlight on 09/11/2025 05:36 pmNASA’s Northrop Grumman CRS-23 Infographics & Hardware [Sep 11]QuoteMission HardwareIDA Planar Reflector – This is a reflective element used by visiting spacecraft during docking. The spacecraft bounces a laser off the reflector to compute relative range, velocity, and attitude on approach to the International Space Station. Due to degradation found on the installed reflector, this unit will launch to support a future spacewalk to replace the damaged reflector.(snip)WhoaSome of the retroreflectors, the ones on the octagonal on-axis Mir-style target, are replaceable when a docked spacecraft and the ISS have their hatches open. This is not them (although they are probably degraded years ago despite being in the IDA specifications. I know because I was involved in their creation.)The ones outside of the presurizable volume are just outside the mechanical docking interface. They should be bulletproof, literally and figuratively, like the Apollo lunar retroreflector arrays. If they are degraded, something unexpected is wrong.AFAIR, The previous ones changed were not due to MMOD strikes but due to the surface losing it reflectivity due to FOD and other residue.
120527Z SEP 25NAVAREA IV 970/25(11,26).NORTH ATLANTIC.FLORIDA.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 142202Z TO 142305Z SEP, ALTERNATE 152139Z TO 152242Z, 162114Z TO 162217Z, 172051Z TO 172154Z, 182028Z TO 182131Z, 192006Z TO 192109Z AND 201940Z TO 202044Z SEP IN AREAS BOUND BY: A. 30-37.00N 078-16.00W, 31-42.00N 077-36.00W, 31-57.00N 077-10.00W, 31-56.00N 076-47.00W, 31-38.00N 076-25.00W, 31-20.00N 076-28.00W, 31-06.00N 076-46.00W, 30-34.00N 078-12.00W. B. 28-40.35N 080-38.63W, 28-49.00N 080-25.00W, 28-50.00N 080-17.00W, 28-45.00N 080-11.00W, 28-39.00N 080-13.00W, 28-27.24N 080-31.58W.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 202144Z SEP 25.//
Is it possible that they are trying to reduce the signal?
NSF - NASASpaceflight.com@NASASpaceflight·SpaceX is preparing to launch the first flight of a stretched Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL cargo ship to the ISS.The Cygnus XL cargo ship, named S.S. William C. “Willie” McCool after the pilot of Columbia on STS-107, is scheduled to launch atop a Falcon 9 on the NG-23 mission on Sunday, Sept. 14, at 6:11 PM EDT (22:11 UTC).
SpaceX@SpaceXLess than one hour until Falcon 9 launches @NorthropGrumman's NG-23 mission to the @Space_Station. All systems are looking good, and the weather is 85% favorable for liftoff
