Orbital: Cygnus General Discussion Thread

[gongora]

Is the Orbital/ATK CRS-1 contract running through OA-12 now?

[IanThePineapple]

Bit of a Bump...

ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/22/2017

TangoLab-1 Transfer to Cygnus (OA-8):  The crew removed TangoLab-1 from EXPRESS Rack 4, and transferred the facility to Cygnus for a short demonstration of TangoLab-1 operations in Cygnus. This is being performed as a proof of the “extended lab” concept, wherein visiting vehicles can be used as an extension of the ISS laboratory volume while attached.  TangoLab-1 is a reconfigurable general research facility designed for microgravity research and development and pilot manufacturing aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Is NASA planing for Cygnus to stay berthed to the station for longer periods in the future?

I don't think so, just bringing up experiments in Cygnus, doing them there (Or bringing experiments from the station into Cygnus), probably only for very short experiments.

I guess it could stay berthed to the station longer, 2 months sounds safe, but I think that since most of Cygnus is used for bringing up consumables, long-term experiments for the station itself and possibly large items (like space suits or backup hardware), there wouldn't be much room left for in-Cygnus experiments.

I wouldn't even be surprised if they did made part of Dragon or the HTVs into mini labs, maybe even Dream Chaser in the future!

We will see, though!

[Sam Ho]

Is the Orbital/ATK CRS-1 contract running through OA-12 now?

At the OA-8 launch, Frank DeMauro described OA-12 as the first CRS-2 mission.

Frank DeMauro said that OA's plan is to continue flying Cygnus on Antares, and that they currently have orders out to OA-13.

DeMauro said there are no plans to return to the Atlas 5 for the foreseeable future, as the company completes its original Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract and starts a follow-on award called CRS-2. “Our baseline plan is to continue to fly Cygnus on Antares,” he said. “We are ready to respond to our customer’s needs, if they should require something different, but for all of the rest of CRS-1 and so far for the CRS-2 missions we’re planning to do them on Antares.”

After this launch, Orbital ATK has three missions remaining on its CRS contract, OA-9, 10 and 11. No firm launch dates have been set, but DeMauro said OA-9 could launch as soon as the first quarter of 2018. OA-10 would then likely follow in the fall of 2018 and OA-11 in early 2019. DeMauro said later that NASA has ordered two Cygnus missions so far under its CRS-2 contract, OA-12 and 13.

http://spacenews.com/orbital-atk-looks-to-antares-to-handle-cargo-resupply-missions/

[TrevorMonty]

Bit of a Bump...

ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/22/2017

TangoLab-1 Transfer to Cygnus (OA-8):  The crew removed TangoLab-1 from EXPRESS Rack 4, and transferred the facility to Cygnus for a short demonstration of TangoLab-1 operations in Cygnus. This is being performed as a proof of the “extended lab” concept, wherein visiting vehicles can be used as an extension of the ISS laboratory volume while attached.  TangoLab-1 is a reconfigurable general research facility designed for microgravity research and development and pilot manufacturing aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Is NASA planing for Cygnus to stay berthed to the station for longer periods in the future?

I don't think so, just bringing up experiments in Cygnus, doing them there (Or bringing experiments from the station into Cygnus), probably only for very short experiments.

I guess it could stay berthed to the station longer, 2 months sounds safe, but I think that since most of Cygnus is used for bringing up consumables, long-term experiments for the station itself and possibly large items (like space suits or backup hardware), there wouldn't be much room left for in-Cygnus experiments.

I wouldn't even be surprised if they did made part of Dragon or the HTVs into mini labs, maybe even Dream Chaser in the future!

We will see, though!

The latest NG11 Cygnus will have gyros added for attitude control which save lot fuel and allow for extended missions of upto year in orbit. Plan is to do more extended missions after leaving ISS, even return to ISS to offload experiments before final deorbit burn.

There is small startup that would like to use Cygnus as space tug allowing upcoming small LVs to deliver cargo to ISS, without dealing with safety issues of approaching and docking with ISS.
Cygnus would rendezvous with small cargo pod and deliver it to ISS. Dispose could be handled by Cygnus or cargo pod deorbits itself.

[catdlr]

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus Spacecraft - Cislunar Space Habitation


Northrop Grumman
Published on Mar 5, 2019

Northrop Grumman's vision for the next step toward human space missions to Mars employs our flight-proven Cygnus advanced maneuvering spacecraft as a human habitat in cislunar space, the region between the Moon and Earth. In the early 2020s, we would launch the initial habitat on NASA’s SLS rocket. Featuring a modular design, the habitat would serve both as a destination for crewed missions and as an unmanned testbed to prove-out the technologies needed for long-duration human space missions. The habitat is also envisioned as a base for lunar missions by international partners or commercial ventures. With additional habitation and propulsion modules, the habitat could be outfitted for a Mars Pathfinder mission.

[gongora]

0236-EX-CN-2019   

University of Texas El Paso Orbital Factory 2

Orbital Factory 2 (OF-2) is a 1U CubeSat. The primary payload is an experiment to test repair in
orbit using additive manufacturing. Secondary payloads are an experimental S-band patch antenna,
software methods for attitude control using magnetorquers and external camera to capture Earth
images.

OF-2 will be launched in October 2019 from Wallops, VA into a 400 km Low Earth Orbit, onboard
an Antares launch vehicle to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of a Cygnus resupply
mission. Approximately 3 months after arrival at ISS, OF-2 will be deployed by the astronauts
through the ISS Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) airlock. A ground station in El Paso will
receive downlinked data, and provide command and control.

[PM3]

330 will fly then transfer over to Eclipse after Cygnus flights are over, it’s basically the same rocket with a different second stage.

Does NG want to retire Cygnus? There will be future space stations that need redundant cargo supply, and Cygnus is a well-proven cargo ship.

[lightleviathan]

330 will fly then transfer over to Eclipse after Cygnus flights are over, it’s basically the same rocket with a different second stage.

Does NG want to retire Cygnus? There will be future space stations that need redundant cargo supply, and Cygnus is a well-proven cargo ship.

I should've stated my point better. Antares 330 exists simply to fly Cygnus. It'll be retired after NG's ISS contract is over, not Cygnus flights.

Cygnus is LV agnostic, so it can just fly on Eclipse after their ISS contract is over for other stations.

[ddspaceman]

Northrop Grumman
@northropgrumman
With each Commercial Resupply Mission, we name our #Cygnus spacecraft after trailblazer in human exploration. NG-23 will be named after @NASA astronaut, Willie McCool. http://ms.spr.ly/6017srr8P

https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1957442712489148509

[catdlr]

Northrop Grumman
@northropgrumman
With each Commercial Resupply Mission, we name our #Cygnus spacecraft after trailblazer in human exploration. NG-23 will be named after @NASA astronaut, Willie McCool. http://ms.spr.ly/6017srr8P

https://x.com/northropgrumman/status/1957442712489148509

Hands down, best astronaut name ever.

Meet NG-23: S.S. William “Willie” C. McCool

[StraumliBlight]

Q3 Results: 10-Q [Oct 21]

Sales

Current Quarter
Third quarter 2025 sales decreased $172 million, or 6 percent, primarily due to wind-down of work on the restricted space and Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) programs, which reduced sales by $124 million, as well as lower volume on Space Development Agency (SDA) satellite programs. These decreases were partially offset by a $100 million increase for Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) missions.

Year to Date
Year to date 2025 sales decreased $1.1 billion, or 12 percent, primarily due to wind-down of work on the restricted space and NGI programs, which reduced sales by $635 million, as well as a $195 million decrease for SDA satellite programs. The decrease was also driven by lower volume on other restricted space programs and the Space Launch System (SLS) Booster, Next Gen Polar (NGP) and Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) programs, partially offset by higher volume on GEM 63 as that program ramps.

Operating Income

Current Quarter
Third quarter 2025 operating income decreased $47 million, or 14 percent, primarily due to a lower operating margin rate and lower sales. Operating margin rate decreased to 11.0 percent from 12.0 percent principally due to lower net EAC adjustments, including a prior year $39 million favorable EAC adjustment on the Habitation and Logistics Outpost program, partially offset by sales growth on programs with accretive margin rates.

Year to Date
Year to date 2025 operating income decreased $118 million, or 12 percent, due to lower sales. Operating margin rate of 10.9 percent was comparable with the prior year period.

[StraumliBlight]

1980-EX-ST-2025 [Nov 20]

The STA is necessary to transmit data from the Kentucky Re-Entry Probe Experiment (KREPE-3) to the Iridium satellite network and between capsules during descent through the Earths atmosphere. Iridium will file for a companion license to support this mission.

KREPE-3 consists of 12 non-orbiting, self-contained capsules for testing atmospheric re-entry thermal protection systems. Data from various sensors will be communicated between capsules and relayed to the Iridium satellite network during descent of the capsules. This is a continuation of previous successful KREPE missions (0910-EX-ST-2020 and 1539-EX-CN-2023).

Operation Start Date: 09/01/2026
Operation End Date: 02/28/2027

KREPE-3 is a self-contained payload consisting of twelve (12) individual experiments. Each experiment is designed to be transported to the International Space Station (ISS) via the Cygnus Resupply Vehicle.

[...]

3. De-orbit and Vehicle Breakup: The Cygnus vehicle is released from the ISS and de orbited. The vehicle begins to break up upon re-entering the atmosphere at an approximate altitude of 77 km. The KREPE-3 capsules are designed to survive this breakup event.

4. Capsule Ejection and KREM Separation: The capsules emerge from the vehicle debris field. The heat of re-entry is designed to melt the polycarbonate bolts holding the KREM together, allowing a pair of springs to force the two KREM halves apart. This KREM separation occurs at an approximate altitude of 50–60 km.

[...]

KREPE-3 features five distinct capsule geometries:
 ● Deep Space 2 (DS2): Eight capsules use the 45-degree sphere-cone geometry of NASA's Deep Space 2 probes. KREPE-1 and KREPE-2 used this OML exclusively.
 ● ADEPT (KREPE-3-ADP-6LFABR): This capsule features a fabric TPS stretched across ribs, stood off from the main body, as part of NASA's Adaptable, Deployable Entry and Placement Technology concept.
 ● DRACO/HARLEM (KREPE-3-DRC-HARLEM): This shape is based on the European Space Agency’s Destructive Re-entry Assessment Container Object (DRACO) mission.
 ● Dragonfly (KREPE-3-DFL-PICAD1): A scaled version of the capsule that will deliver NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft to Saturn’s moon, Titan. It is slightly larger than the DS2 shape.
 ● Slender Body (KREPE-3-DOD-METAL1): A long, slender geometry originating from the Department of Defense, this capsule is approximately 28 inches long and weighs up to 20 lbs.

Kentucky Re-Entry Probe Experiment-3: The Third Hypersonic Flight of the KRUPS Capsules [Aug 7]

The KREPE-3 mission is scheduled to be part of the Cygnus NG-24 resupply mission in early 2026, with re-entry planned for late summer 2026. The success of KREPE-3 will elevate KRUPS from an established testbed for hypersonic entry experiments to an efficient platform for testing novel materials and concepts while offering a thorough dataset for validation and analysis.

[AndrewM]

The contract issue date makes it appear that this is associated with the decision to not fly cargo Dream Chaser missions.

The Sep 23rd contract award date was 4 days after the last NASA ASAP meeting and 2 days before the Dream Chaser cancellation announcement, so it seems likely.

I don't believe it is related to that decision. In November last year, NASA extended the contracts for all 3 CRS2 providers from December 31, 2026 to December 31, 2030 to enable not just because all contracts would be completed by then but also to extend the ordering period of performance.

Then in December last year, NASA sole-sourced an additional Cygnus standard mission B for launch in CY28 with a key element of that sole source rationale being the docking ports will be occupied during that timeframe and reboost is required. That eliminated Dragon (docking) and Dream Chaser (reboost). In addition, the larger Cygnus allowed them to order just 1 mission for CY28 at that point which was required to get long lead material purchases.

This latest sole source award adds an additional CY28 mission plus a CY29 and was awarded about a year after the previous one. I think that no matter what they needed another CRS mission in CY29 and were on the fence of needing one in CY28 given Dragon appears to not have any additional CRS missions after 2026. I would also believe that when NASA kicked off the RFP to NG they were unsure how HTV-X and Dream Chaser were going so adding an extra CY28 mission was a good form of insurance. I also think that not enough time passed from they decided to de-commit the Dream Chaser missions to this award to have it be a significant factor.

I wouldn't be shocked if in about 6 months we see an additional award to try and offset the loss of the Dream Chaser or if NASA likes how the rest of Dream Chaser testing is going it gets on-ramped again for 2 ISS missions. When SNC was awarded the initial 6 missions the period of performance ended on December 31, 2024 so those 6 missions would have been 1/year from 2019 to 2024. The delays to Dream Chaser have caused most of those missions to already essentially have been replaced by previous CRS2 extensions for Cygnus and Dragon. Both Cygnus and Dragon completed their initial 6 CRS2 missions in 2022 and combined flew an additional 9 before the end of 2024. The reality of the Dream Chaser cancellation is they were having significant delays and issues which pushed it past where it would have been able to complete it's 6 missions by the planned EOL of ISS and there was enough question marks where a decision had to be made if it was worth proceeding down the route they were on for less and less payout.