SpaceX F9 : Cygnus NG-20 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 11 December 2023

[gongora]

Discussion thread for SpaceX launch of Cygnus NG-20 mission to the ISS.

December 2023 from Florida.

[gongora]

0545-EX-CN-2023
LizzieSat-2 from Sidus Space (up to 100kg).
The person writing the ODAR might want to double-check on the launch vehicle and site.

[wannamoonbase]

It's pretty incredible the launches that SpaceX has been able to pick up by having capacity available.

I can't wait till they have legitimate competition and see where the pricing and market flexibility goes.

[realnouns]

Just updated a few booster assignments on nextspaceflight...

...
B1072 (F9):
- Cygnus NG-20 (NET July)
...

[crandles57]

Slipped to November per
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ [1 April update]

[gongora]

0905-EX-ST-2023  University of Kentucky KREPE2

[zubenelgenubi]

B1072.2 or above?  1072 will launch Crew-7 this August.

Or, another 10xx.5 or less first stage?  There are B1081, B1082, and B1083 in the pipeline.

Konstantin Borisov said in an instagram post several weeks ago that a new booster is being used for the mission and that they saw it in Hangar X, from my understanding the only F9 core there that has yet to fly is B1072

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr0YVeCKbaj/
[May 4]

Also, if SLC-40 upgrades are complete, could this launch from SLC-40 as well as LC-39A?

[gongora]

Why couldn't it launch from SLC-40 without any upgrades?

Does Cygnus on Falcon have late load capability?

[GewoonLukas_]

Why couldn't it launch from SLC-40 without any upgrades?

Does Cygnus on Falcon have late load capability?

I don't think Cygnus even has late load capability due to it being enclosed in a fairing.

[Bean Kenobi]

Why couldn't it launch from SLC-40 without any upgrades?

Does Cygnus on Falcon have late load capability?

I don't think Cygnus even has late load capability due to it being enclosed in a fairing.

It has : https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/features/northrop-grummans-antares-team-demonstrates-new-capability-to-load-cargo-just-before-launch

Operators maneuver the mobile payload processing facility over the front of the Antares fairing and seal the opening to provide a clean-room environment. The Antares fairing pop-top is then removed, providing access to Cygnus for loading cargo just 24 hours before launch.

[GewoonLukas_]

Why couldn't it launch from SLC-40 without any upgrades?

Does Cygnus on Falcon have late load capability?

I don't think Cygnus even has late load capability due to it being enclosed in a fairing.

It has : https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/features/northrop-grummans-antares-team-demonstrates-new-capability-to-load-cargo-just-before-launch

Operators maneuver the mobile payload processing facility over the front of the Antares fairing and seal the opening to provide a clean-room environment. The Antares fairing pop-top is then removed, providing access to Cygnus for loading cargo just 24 hours before launch.

Ah then it depends on whether SpaceX can develop a fairing with a door in time

[Zed_Noir]

Why couldn't it launch from SLC-40 without any upgrades?

Does Cygnus on Falcon have late load capability?

I don't think Cygnus even has late load capability due to it being enclosed in a fairing.

It has : https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/features/northrop-grummans-antares-team-demonstrates-new-capability-to-load-cargo-just-before-launch

Operators maneuver the mobile payload processing facility over the front of the Antares fairing and seal the opening to provide a clean-room environment. The Antares fairing pop-top is then removed, providing access to Cygnus for loading cargo just 24 hours before launch.

Think the Cygnus is going inside a Falcon payload fairing not the Antares payload fairing. So no late cargo loading unless there is a Falcon fairing access hatch that provides access to the Cygnus docking port.

[zubenelgenubi]

Re: access hatch through Falcon 9 fairing to allow Cygnus late load:
SpaceX has had since the launch contract was inked last August to design and fabricate, IF they are being PAID to do so.

August 2022 to November 2023 is a long time in SpaceX time.

Someone should ask.

[FLHerne]

I don't think it was ever an option with Cygnus on Antares or Atlas?

The only hatch is at the top when on the pad, so you'd need a big hole right near the top of the fairing, at the point of maximum pressure and too high to line up with the access arm.

The chance of NG and SpaceX bothering for these three launches seems about zero to me. Is there any reason to think they might?

[StarryKnight]

I don't think it was ever an option with Cygnus on Antares or Atlas?

The only hatch is at the top when on the pad, so you'd need a big hole right near the top of the fairing, at the point of maximum pressure and too high to line up with the access arm.

The chance of NG and SpaceX bothering for these three launches seems about zero to me. Is there any reason to think they might?

As noted in the link provided by Bean Kenobi just a few posts up, Cygnus has had a late load capability on Antares ever since the NG-11 mission. NG has been performing late loads on Antares/Cygnus on each mission since then.

Late loading on Cygnus was not performed on the Atlas/Cygnus missions.

[zubenelgenubi]

Today's Crew-7 press briefing:
NG-20 will be the first human spaceflight support launch from Canaveral SLC-40, launch December 2023.

[FLHerne]

What's "human spaceflight support launch" supposed to mean?  There were many Cargo Dragon missions from SLC-40 for CRS-1.

If it means use of the access arm then those suggesting late-load capability must be right, although I still don't see how it's practical with the F9 fairing.

re. above posts, sorry, I did completely miss that NG had done late-load on Antares.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://flic.kr/p/2oVGYRH

KSC-20230802-PH-JBS01_0086
The Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized cargo module (PCM) arrives at the Space Station Processing Facility of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 2, 2023. The PCM is sealed in an environmentally controlled shipping container, pulled in by truck on a flatbed trailer. Cygnus will launch later this year atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy to the International Space Station. Cygnus will undergo prelaunch processing at Kennedy before it is transported to SpaceX’s integration facility.
Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

https://flic.kr/p/2oVHpBT

KSC-20230802-PH-JBS01_0033
A crane is used to lift the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized cargo module (PCM) off a flatbed truck after arrival at the Space Station Processing Facility of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 2, 2023. The PCM is sealed in an environmentally controlled shipping container. Cygnus will launch later this year atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy to the International Space Station. Cygnus will undergo prelaunch processing at Kennedy before it is transported to SpaceX’s integration facility.
Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

[spacenuance]

Today's Crew-7 press briefing:
NG-20 will be the first human spaceflight support launch from Canaveral SLC-40, launch December 2023.

Cygnus will launch later this year atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy to the International Space Station.

great . . .

Personally I think pad 40 is more likely but we'll see

[GewoonLukas_]

Today's Crew-7 press briefing:
NG-20 will be the first human spaceflight support launch from Canaveral SLC-40, launch December 2023.

Cygnus will launch later this year atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy to the International Space Station.

great . . .

Personally I think pad 40 is more likely but we'll see

LC-39A will be occupied by CRS-29 and potentially IM-1 in December. So NG-20 will almost certainly launch from SLC-40.