NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => NGIS (Formerly Orbital ATK) - Antares/Cygnus Section => Topic started by: gongora on 04/10/2019 02:55 am
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0281-EX-CN-2019 University of Hawaii
NEUTRON-1 on NG-12 (NET Oct. 19), deploy from ISS
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0376-EX-CN-2019, St. Louis University
Argus-02 on NG-12, deploy from ISS
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0385-EX-CN-2019 University of Minnesota Twin Cities
SOCRATES cubesat launch on NG-12, deploy from ISS
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https://www.nasa.gov/content/upcoming-elana-cubesat-launches
Last update from April, 19
ELaNa 25
Date: NET October 19, 2019
Mission: NG-12 – Antares II, Wallops Flight Facility, Va.
18 CubeSat Missions scheduled to be deployed
Argus – St. Louis University, Missouri
AzTechSat-1 – NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
CaNOP – Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin
CapSat – University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign
CryoCube – NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
CySat – Iowa State University, Ames
HARP – University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland
HuskySat – University of Washington, Seattle
NEUTRON-1 – University of Hawaii, Manoa
OPAL – Utah State University, Logan
Phoenix – Arizona State University, Tempe
RadSat-U – Montana State University, Bozeman
SOCRATES – University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
SPACE HAUC – University of Massachusetts - Lowell
SORTIE – ASTRA, Boulder, Colorado
SPOC – University of Georgia, Athens
SwampSat II – University of Florida, Gainesville
TJREVERB – Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria, Virginia
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0879-EX-ST-2019 HuskySat-1 from University of Washington, deploys from Cygnus after leaving ISS.
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0457-EX-CN-2019
AeroCube-15 FCC Mission Statement
The AeroCube-15 program consists of two nanosatellites that will demonstrate rapid development of a
small size, weight and power (SWAP), low cost optical sensor in low earth orbit. The payload consists of
a custom-designed telescope combined with a commercially available camera core.
The AeroCube-15 satellites have been developed by The Aerospace Corporation (Aerospace) for our
purpose of conducting experiments in space per our charter as a private, non-profit corporation operating a
Federally Funded Research and Development Center in support of the US Air Force (contract number
FA8802-19-C-0001). All payload components were developed by Aerospace for our purpose of conducting
in-space technology demonstration experiments.
The AeroCube-15 satellites each which weigh approximately 3.7 kg and are 34 x 11 x 11 centimeters in
dimension. They will be launched on an Antares 230/Cygnus Commercial Resupply Service mission to the
International Space Station (ISS) with an estimated launch date of October
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New update from NASA
https://www.nasa.gov/content/upcoming-elana-cubesat-launches
ELaNa 25
Date: NET October 19, 2019
Mission: NG-12 – Antares II, Wallops Flight Facility, Va.
15 CubeSat Missions scheduled to be deployed
Argus – St. Louis University, Missouri
AzTechSat-1 – NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
CAPSat – University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign
CryoCube – NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
CySat – Iowa State University, Ames
HARP – University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland
NEUTRON-1 – University of Hawaii, Manoa
Phoenix – Arizona State University, Tempe
RadSat-U – Montana State University, Bozeman
SOCRATES – University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
SORTIE – ASTRA, Boulder, Colorado
SPOC – University of Georgia, Athens
TJREVERB – Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria, Virginia
External Cygnus Deployments
HuskySat – University of Washington, Seattle
SwampSat II – University of Florida, Gainesville
CaNOP, OPAL and SPACE HAUC were canceled.
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Belated cross-post:
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/
Changed launch dates
<snip>
Cygnus NG-12 now October 19
<snip>
Followed by the August 12 update of the same SFN Launch Schedule (https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/):
October 21, 1839 UTC = 14:39 EDT.
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Cross-post:
Is NG-12 carrying the hardware for the AMS repair?
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https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/1164634464611422213
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NASA logo for this mission.
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Is a hi res version available?
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Welcome to Wallops, Cygnus!
The next launch of Northrop Grumman Corporation's Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft bound for the International Space Station is fast approaching.
Stay tuned for more info!
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Welcome to Wallops, Cygnus!
What date did Cygnus arrive at Wallops?
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September 09, 2019
MEDIA ADVISORY M19-096
NASA Invites Media to Northrop Grumman’s Space Station Launch from Virginia
Media accreditation is open for the launch of Northrop Grumman’s 12th commercial resupply services mission aboard its Cygnus spacecraft to deliver NASA science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station.
Northrop Grumman is targeting liftoff of its Antares rocket for no earlier than 2:39 p.m. EDT Oct. 21 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad-0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island in Virginia. This is the first mission under Northrop’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract with NASA.
To cover the prelaunch and launch activities at Wallops, international media without U.S. citizenship must apply for credentials by Wednesday, Sept. 18. The application deadline for media who are U.S. citizens is Oct. 15. All accreditation requests must be sent to Keith Koehler at [email protected].
Each resupply mission to the station delivers scientific investigations in the areas of biology and biotechnology, Earth and space science, physical sciences, and technology development and demonstrations.
Highlights of space station research that will be facilitated by research aboard this Cygnus mission include:
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 (AMS-02), mounted on the exterior of the International Space Station, looks for evidence of dark, strange and anti-matter to help us understand how our universe was formed. A series of spacewalks are planned for later this year to prolong the operational life of the AMS-02. Astronauts will cut and reconnect fluid lines, a feat not done before in space, which could prove valuable for future missions at NASA’s upcoming lunar Gateway or missions to Mars.
The AstroRad Vest tests a special vest designed to protect astronauts from radiation caused by unpredictable solar particle events. Astronauts will provide input on the garment as they wear it while performing daily tasks, including how easy it is to put on, how it fits and feels, and the range of motion it allows. Garment developers can use this input to improve design. Use of the vest could protect crew members on missions to the Moon and Mars.
The Zero-G Oven examines heat transfer properties and the process of baking food in microgravity. It uses an oven designed specifically for use aboard the space station, and may have application on future long-duration missions by offering a way to increase variety in flavor and nutrition of food for crew members.
The Made in Space Recycler will test systems needed to reprocess plastic into 3D printing filament that can then be transferred for use to the Made in Space Manufacturing Device, a 3D printer that has operated on the orbiting laboratory since 2016. This has implications for space conservation and deep space missions.
Northrop Grumman will use a new 24-hour late load capability on this mission. This innovative system includes a mobile clean room and a removable portion of the payload fairing that will permit time-sensitive science experiments to be loaded into Cygnus as late as 24 hours before liftoff.
Cargo resupply from U.S. companies ensures a national capability to deliver critical science research to the space station, significantly increasing NASA's ability to conduct new investigations at the only laboratory in space.
Get more information about Northrop Grumman’s commercial resupply missions at:
https://www.nasa.gov/northropgrumman
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https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/1167103807328833536
It's a little dated, but my son worked on this team during his four years at ASU. He's not in the photo, having already started at ULA when the photo was taken this summer.
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Spacecraft on the move! This week, Northrop Grumman Corporation's Cygnus cargo spacecraft traveled to Wallops Island to get fueled up before launch.
Cygnus will launch atop an Antares rocket, scheduled to launch no earlier than Oct. 21 from Pad 0A in Virginia.
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https://ria.ru/20190928/1559225113.html
Google translate:
MOSCOW, Sep 28 - RIA News. The launch of the next U.S. cargo ship Cygnus to the International Space Station (ISS) with the Antares launch vehicle with Russian engines, scheduled for October 21, was postponed to October 29, a source in the space rocket told RIA Novosti.
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I can say that I have been told of a delay in the launch schedule from a NASA Wallops employee, so this isn't a surprise. But, I would suspect this is indeed a slip from Oct 21.
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SFN, dated October 4, notes this launch is delayed into November (https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/).
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SFN gives November 2 approx. 13:50 UTC as launch date from today.
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https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/1181621408654401536
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We have a new ELaNa schedule with seven cubesats on ELaNa 25A on NG-12.
https://www.nasa.gov/content/upcoming-elana-cubesat-launches
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Cover a launch of science and supplies to the @Space_Station! Media accreditation is open for the @northropgrumman Cygnus launch from @NASA_Wallops in Virginia. Deadlines approaching:
https://twitter.com/ISS_Research/status/1182031405452275712
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Cross-post:
Media accreditation is open for the launch of Northrop Grumman’s 12th commercial resupply services mission aboard its Cygnus spacecraft to deliver NASA science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station.
Northrop Grumman is targeting liftoff of its Antares rocket for no earlier than 9:59 a.m. EDT Nov. 2 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad-0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island in Virginia. This is the first mission under Northrop’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract with NASA.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-media-to-northrop-grumman-s-space-station-launch-from-virginia
9:59 a.m. EDT = 13:59 UTC right? [Yes]
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Yes
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We’re inviting social media users to share the experience of the next @northropgrumman cargo launch to the @Space_Station, currently targeted for Nov. 2 from @NASAWallops! Apply to this #NASASocial by midnight Oct. 14:
https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1182026699267084289
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October 10, 2019
MEDIA ADVISORY M19-108
NASA Highlights Science on Next Northrop Grumman Mission to Space Station
NASA will host a media teleconference at 2 p.m. EDT Thursday, Oct. 17, to discuss select science investigations and technology demonstrations launching on Northrop Grumman’s 12th commercial resupply mission for the agency to the International Space Station.
Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live online at:
http://www.nasa.gov/live
Northrop Grumman is targeting Saturday, Nov. 2, at 9:59 a.m., for the launch of its Cygnus spacecraft on an Antares rocket from pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia.
Jennifer Buchli, deputy chief scientist for the International Space Station Program Science Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Michael Roberts, interim chief scientist for the ISS U.S. National Lab, will provide an overview of the research and technology aboard the Cygnus spacecraft.
Also participating in the briefing are:
Thomas Krueger, team lead of the European Space Agency’s Human-Robot Interaction Lab, will discuss the ANALOG-1 investigation, which will test telerobotic operations under microgravity conditions aboard the space station.Mike Snyder, founder, board member, and Chief Engineer for Made In Space, will discuss Made in Space’s Recycler, which will test systems needed to reprocess plastic into 3D printing filament in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station. The Recycler will utilize polymer materials to produce filament that can be transferred to the Made in Space 3D printer that has operated on the orbiting laboratory since 2016.Brian York, principal investigator of the Rodent Research-14 investigation, will discuss how the investigation studies the effects of microgravity on the biological circadian rhythm and key organ tissues, including the colon, heart, lung, liver, kidney and hypothalamus. This investigation advances research on the most common liver disease in humans.Kathleen Coderre, principal investigator, will discuss AstroRad, a new vest that could protect astronauts’ vital organs from deep-space radiation. Knowledge gained could also aid the development of shielding technologies for patients on Earth receiving radiation treatments.
To participate in the teleconference, media must contact Gina Anderson at 202-358-1160 or [email protected] by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, for dial-in information.
The Cygnus spacecraft will carry crew supplies, scientific research and hardware to the orbiting laboratory to support the Expedition 60 and 61 crews for the 12th mission under Northrop Grumman’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract with NASA.
For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/northropgrumman
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https://www.craigtechinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/PRESS-RELEASE-October-launch-6.3.19.pdf
Craig Technologies Aerospace Solutions (Craig) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of CraigX, their on-orbit external experimental facility hosted on the NanoRacks International Space Station External Platform (NREP). The mission is scheduled to launch in October 2019 on the Northrop Grumman Antares rocket mission NG-12 under the NASA Commercial Resupply Services (CRS2) contract.
The CraigX Flight Test Platform (FTP) is designed to mount externally to the International Space Station (ISS) and promote electronics testing to raise Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) at a low cost and a reduced time frame. The interchangeable panel design minimizes hardware changes between missions while maximizing flexibility to accommodate customer requirements. Additive manufactured hardware is used internally to reduce manufacturing cost and schedule. Some of the features include:
• Flight computer with a custom power distribution board capable of scheduling multiple payloads • Data downlink and uplink availability to analyze data during missions with the option to modify operational software and test parameters while the payload is deployed • 2TB onboard data storage • Wake facing camera with limited streaming • Two 2.4 in. spiral antennae (nadir and zenith facing) • GPS patch antenna for position data • Volume: ~ 18U • Payloads are not required to conform to standard CubeSat footprints • Typical mission duration: 15-24 weeks
In addition to CraigX, NG-12 will be carrying the DoD Space Test Satellite-4 (STPSat-4) which is made up of five distinct experiments from the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), and the U.S. Navy. These experiments include Radio Frequency (RF) Module Tiles, the Modular Array Technology for Reconfigurable Spacecraft (MATRS) the Integrated Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer (iMESA), Navy Interferometric Star Tracker Experiment (NISTEx), and Nanosat Tracking Experiment (NTE).
STPSat-4 will be launched from the ISS using the Space Stations Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems (SSIKLOPS).
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https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/smallsat/2019/all2019/155/
Orbital Factory 2: A 1U CubeSat for Additive Manufacturing Tasks in Low Earth Orbit
Finally, the satellite is scheduled to be launched at the end of this year in an Antares rocket from Wallops and deployed either from a Cygnus spacecraft or the ISS.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/smallsat/2019/all2019/155/
• Deployment estimated for January 2020
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This is your chance to see science head to space! Apply now!
https://twitter.com/ISS_Research/status/1182803995494105089
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https://twitter.com/ISS_Research/status/1185297737220284416
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Cygnus NG-12 is named after Alan Bean:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkcjX7LWLEs
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I've searched, and cannot find launch weather limits - only probabilities of being within limits. I'm looking at the 10-day forecast for MARS and see 10% chance of rain and roughly 10mph winds. How does that compare to launch limits?
Need to make a final go/no-go decision to head up to Wallops - NG-12 is carrying Phoenix, the cubesat my son worked on while at ASU.
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More than 20 separate payloads sponsored by the ISS U.S. National Laboratory will launch to the orbiting laboratory on Northrop Grumman’s 12th commercial resupply services mission currently scheduled for no earlier than Nov. 2.
https://twitter.com/ISS_CASIS/status/1187481408027189249
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October 25, 2019
MEDIA ADVISORY M19-121
NASA Television Coverage Set for Cygnus Resupply Mission to International Space Station
NASA commercial cargo provider Northrop Grumman is scheduled to launch its next resupply mission to the International Space Station at 9:59 a.m. EDT Saturday, Nov. 2. NASA’s prelaunch coverage will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning Friday, Nov. 1.
Loaded with around 8,200 pounds of research, crew supplies, and hardware, Northrop Grumman’s 12th commercial resupply mission for the space station will launch on the company’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft on an Antares rocket from Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
The Cygnus spacecraft, dubbed the SS Alan Bean, is named after the late Apollo and Skylab astronaut who died on May 26, 2018, at the age of 86. This Cygnus will launch 50 years to the month after Bean, Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon flew to the Moon on NASA’s Apollo 12 mission, during which Bean became the fourth human to walk on the lunar surface. Bean was the lunar module pilot aboard Intrepid with mission commander Conrad when they landed on Moon at the Ocean of Storms on Nov. 19, 1969.
With a Nov. 2 launch, the Cygnus spacecraft will arrive at the space station Monday, Nov. 4 at about 5:45 a.m., Expedition 61 NASA astronaut Jessica Meir will grapple the spacecraft using the station’s robotic arm. She will be backed up by NASA astronaut Christina Koch. After Cygnus capture, ground controllers will command the station’s arm to rotate and install Cygnus on the bottom of the station’s Unity module.
Complete NASA TV coverage of activities is as follows:
Friday, Nov. 1
11:30 a.m. – What’s on Board science briefing
Pete Hasbrook, manager of International Space Station Program Science Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston
Liz Warren, associate program scientist with the U.S. National Lab
Sam Ting, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 (AMS-2) principal investigator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, and Ken Bollweg, AMS project manager at Johnson
Kathleen Coderre, principal investigator for AstroRad Vest at Lockheed Martin Space, Littleton, Colorado, and Oren Milstein, co-founder and chief scientific officer for StemRad
Alessandro Grattoni, chairman of the Department of NanoMedicine at the Houston Methodist Research Institute, and Maurizio Geggiani, chief technology officer at Automobili Lamborghini, for the CraigX Flight Test Platform
Mary Murphy, senior internal payloads manager for the Zero-G Oven at Nanoracks LLC in Washington
2:30 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference
Kirk Shireman, manager of NASA’s International Space Station Program at Johnson
Pete Hasbrook
Jeff Reddish, Wallops Range Antares project manager
Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager of Space Systems at Northrop Grumman
Kurt Eberly, Antares vice president at Northrop Grumman
Saturday, Nov. 2
9:30 a.m. – Launch coverage begins for a 9:59 a.m. liftoff
Monday, Nov. 4
4:10 a.m. – Coverage of Cygnus capture with the space station’s robotic arm
6:30 a.m. – Cygnus installation operations coverage
Media registration for the launch and associated activities has closed. However, media may participate via phone in the What’s on Board briefing and prelaunch news conference. Media interested in participating must contact Gina Anderson at [email protected] for call details.
The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the space station until Jan. 13, 2020, when it will depart the station, deploy Nanoracks customer CubeSats, deorbit and dispose of several tons of trash during a fiery re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere around Jan. 31.
This will be the first mission under Northrop Grumman’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract with NASA, for which the company will fly a minimum of six missions to the International Space Station through 2024.
Learn more about this space station resupply mission at:
https://www.nasa.gov/northropgrumman
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I've searched, and cannot find launch weather limits - only probabilities of being within limits. I'm looking at the 10-day forecast for MARS and see 10% chance of rain and roughly 10mph winds. How does that compare to launch limits?
Need to make a final go/no-go decision to head up to Wallops - NG-12 is carrying Phoenix, the cubesat my son worked on while at ASU.
I checked the weather and I saw that Friday looks like there will be rain but Saturday has a 0% chance of rain and still winds of 5-10 mph. Winds are lower on Sunday as of now but a 10% chance of rain. I am heading down as a member of the press for my local HS. However for me there are tours on Friday that do not depend on weather. As of now the weather looks relatively good. Apparently, most hotels in the areas are full btw so just be aware of that if you go.
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The @Space_Station allows us to perform science you can’t perform anywhere else. Aboard the @northropgrumman #Cygnus launch in Nov, experiments including a test of radiation protection and baking in microgravity will head to the station.
https://twitter.com/ISS_Research/status/1188886149537976321
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From new avenues of food production in space to research that could provide insights into liver disease and reveal new therapies, the #science heading to the @Space_Station onboard @northropgrumman #CRS12 aims to benefit life on Earth:
https://twitter.com/ISS_CASIS/status/1188893225597243392
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We're launching a @NorthropGrumman Antares rocket to the International Space Station on Saturday. 🚀 Whether you're attending in-person or tuning in online, check out this guide for details on how to watch. https://go.nasa.gov/2pYTTTg .
https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/1188864099658190849
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A new CubeSat will soon launch from @NASA_Wallops to the @ISS_research! This tiny satellite will see rainbows 🌈, measuring clouds ☁️ and particles in the atmosphere to help us better understand air quality, weather and climate change.
https://twitter.com/NASAEarth/status/1189169280618782720
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S.S. Alan Bean Fact Sheet from Northrop Grumman:
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I was thinking of heading up and watching this launch with some friends at the Old NASA ferry dock. How early should I get there to get a good view? How does parking work? Thanks!
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The last launch had really bad traffic. Much worse than any others over the last ten years or so that I can remember. I'd get there early. Like maybe 6:00 or so. Bring food and warm clothes and be ready for anything.
Have fun!
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Oh wow! I was planning on getting there at 8! Might have to try to move that to the left. I'm heading up from Norfolk so it's a ~2hr drive, might be tough to get my friends to get up earlier though! Thanks for the heads up!
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I'm also going up from Norfolk, but I am going up on Friday night and staying at a hotel. Still planning on getting on site around 0600.
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The last launch had really bad traffic. Much worse than any others over the last ten years or so that I can remember. I'd get there early. Like maybe 6:00 or so. Bring food and warm clothes and be ready for anything.
Have fun!
I would believe though that people with a press pass will not have to deal with the traffic risking missing the launch due to the designated media viewing location.
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Oh wow! I was planning on getting there at 8! Might have to try to move that to the left. I'm heading up from Norfolk so it's a ~2hr drive, might be tough to get my friends to get up earlier though! Thanks for the heads up!
Lucky you, I'm heading to Wallops from 45 mins west of Washington DC, so that's a four hour drive for me, luckily I have a hotel reservation in Salisbury, MD Thursday night prior to press tours, plus an Air B&B near Wallops prior to L-0. Good Luck guys and safe travels!
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I don't have a press pass for this launch, but I have gone to a launch before with the social media press pass. It's a lot of fun and I'd encourage anyone to do it if they can. When I last did the social media press pass (ORB-2, I think), they operated out of the NASA visitor center. That was several years ago and I don't know if they still operate the same way. The reason I mention this is because the last launch (NG-11) had traffic way backed up before the Royal Farms even. It took us over an hour to get through the traffic and we almost missed our bus to the launch site. If they are still operating out of the visitor center, even if you have a press pass, you may have trouble getting there on time.
This launch I will be with the official NASA party and we will be operating from the NASA base, so I think we should be able to avoid all traffic because the exit for NASA is much earlier down the road.
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What are the weather parameters for launch? There is a system in the center of the US that may be near Wallops Saturday. Will they launch if it is cold? Overcast? Raining? (4 hour drive for me to launch site)
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I'll be coming from Cape Charles where I grabbed a room, and will be there extremely early. I'll be in my Atlanta United cap and ASU Dad shirt (but that will be under my jacket) if anyone's looking for me. ;-)
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What are the weather parameters for launch? There is a system in the center of the US that may be near Wallops Saturday. Will they launch if it is cold? Overcast? Raining? (4 hour drive for me to launch site)
I have been keeping a close look at the forecasts the weather channel app now shows no/ very little rain chance as same for the NWS which says clear weather. The main issue in my opinion as of now could be the winds, the cold does not matter as far as I am aware.
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I have been up there for some very cold launches. I don't recall ever hearing specific launch limit criteria for Antares, but I am sure it is out there. I think we should be ok for launch this Saturday. I believe we will start getting weather predictions from NOAA with probability for favorable conditions at launch time by the end of the week.
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https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto/status/1189197703261118466
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Selection of roll out photos posted by NASA on flickr
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Our NG-12 #Antares has rolled out to Launch Pad 0A at @NASA_Wallops in preparation for Saturday’s launch! Stay tuned for more mission updates this week.
https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1189226629849112576
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I don't have a press pass for this launch, but I have gone to a launch before with the social media press pass. It's a lot of fun and I'd encourage anyone to do it if they can. When I last did the social media press pass (ORB-2, I think), they operated out of the NASA visitor center. That was several years ago and I don't know if they still operate the same way. The reason I mention this is because the last launch (NG-11) had traffic way backed up before the Royal Farms even. It took us over an hour to get through the traffic and we almost missed our bus to the launch site. If they are still operating out of the visitor center, even if you have a press pass, you may have trouble getting there on time.
This launch I will be with the official NASA party and we will be operating from the NASA base, so I think we should be able to avoid all traffic because the exit for NASA is much earlier down the road.
I'll be going as part of the NASA Social group, so this worries me. As of this post I/we haven't yet received a follow up email with details/information about the event logistics, so I don't know where or when we'll be meeting to board the bus and whatnot. I usually view launches from the ferry dock location, so I've never encountered the launch rush traffic. Sounds like things might get a little stressful.
Edit: Coincidentally, right after posting this I received the followup email! We will not be departing from the visitor center, so that's a relief. Best of luck to everyone, of course!
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Any press kit released yet?
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Follow-up targeted launch times if they are needed are (in EST):
November 3 - 08:36
November 4 - 08:14
November 5 - 07:48
November 6 - 07:25
November 7 - 07:03
From US Fish & Wildlife Service of all places
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Any press kit released yet?
There wasn't one for NG-11 from NG. I think the SS Alan Bean one pager is all we're gonna get from NG. Still waiting on the NASA Mission Overview.
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NASA HQ PHOTO
Northrop Grumman Antares CRS-12 Prelaunch (NHQ201910290027)
The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket is seen a few hours after arriving at launch Pad-0A, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Northrop Grumman’s 12th contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 8,200 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Launch is scheduled for 9:59 a.m. EDT Saturday, Nov. 2. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Spot RocketLab’s strongback photo bombing :)
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NASA HQ PHOTO
Northrop Grumman Antares CRS-12 Prelaunch (NHQ201910290027)
The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket is seen a few hours after arriving at launch Pad-0A, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Northrop Grumman’s 12th contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 8,200 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Launch is scheduled for 9:59 a.m. EDT Saturday, Nov. 2. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Stitched the top two.
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The @NorthropGrumman Antares rocket is vertical at @NASA_Wallops launch pad. Launch to the International Space Station is planned for 9:59 a.m. EDT Saturday, Nov. 2.
https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto/status/1189318027612954630
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Any press kit released yet?
There wasn't one for NG-11 from NG. I think the SS Alan Bean one pager is all we're gonna get from NG. Still waiting on the NASA Mission Overview.
When can we expect this from NASA?
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https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/1189608573615124481
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"2TRS2S1.11"
- Ed Kyle
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Antares Rocket for Northrop Grumman CRS-12 Rolls to Launch Pad
Sarah Loff Posted on October 30, 2019
Loaded with about 8,200 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware, this is Northrop Grumman’s 12th commercial resupply NASA-contracted mission. It will launch from Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/northropgrumman/2019/10/30/antares-rocket-for-northrop-grumman-crs-12-rolls-to-launch-pad/
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Some seriously awesome photos from this morning.
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Some seriously awesome photos from this morning.
Holy cow, Bill Ingalls really outdid himself.
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I would like to note the weather for L-0:
"Sunny, with a high near 57." -NWS
Wind does not seem to be an issue ;D
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There wasn't one for NG-11 from NG. I think the SS Alan Bean one pager is all we're gonna get from NG. Still waiting on the NASA Mission Overview.
When can we expect this from NASA?
Looks like right now!
https://www.nasa.gov/content/commercial-resupply-media-resources
The overview says this is the first flight of Antares 230+ with "Additional fuel tank for mass capability". I think that means the tanks have been enlarged. Gunter says the engines will also be at full thrust.
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/antares-230-plus.htm
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I'm bringing my 7-year-old grandson, is there a good place to view the launch that has a bathroom nearby? Would hate at T-10 min to hear "Grampa, I have to go potty right now!"
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A Japanese cargo craft is leaving Friday and a U.S. resupply ship is arriving Monday. The Exp 61 crew is gearing up for both missions.
https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1189955114024554497
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The Nov 2 launch of a @northropgrumman spacecraft will carry the final supplies for the upcoming spacewalks that will upgrade the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, an important scientific instrument that is helping us learn more about dark matter.
https://twitter.com/ISS_Research/status/1189947929638948870
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https://twitter.com/nasa_wallops/status/1189984883629854725
Antares and Cygnus spent several hours standing tall on the launch pad for a series of system checks. 🚀🛰️
They're now horizontal so late-load cargo can be packed into Cygnus just before liftoff of @NorthropGrumman's CRS-12 mission.
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Weather 95% Favorable for Northrop Grumman’s CRS-12 Launch Nov. 2
Micheala Sosby Posted on October 31, 2019
NASA commercial cargo provider Northrop Grumman is scheduled to launch its next resupply mission to the International Space Station at 9:59 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Nov. 2.
The latest weather forecast stands at 95% favorable for the launch of the company’s Antares rocket from pad 0A at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. At this time, the only weather concern being tracked is a very slight chance of cloud ceilings for a launch attempt on Saturday morning.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/northrop-grumman/2019/10/31/weather-95-favorable-for-northrop-grummans-crs-12-launch-nov-2/
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A Japanese cargo craft is leaving Friday and a U.S. resupply ship is arriving Monday. The Exp 61 crew is gearing up for both missions.
https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1189955114024554497
I think the beach has porta-poties, but I am not 100 percent sure.
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1189922603462475781
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From haptic robots to a plastic recycler, here’s the exciting tech heading up to space tomorrow on @northropgrumman's Cygnus supply vessel..
https://twitter.com/esaspaceflight/status/1190155006470692864
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Is there a local radio station at Wallops that transmits updates on launch day?
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Is there a local radio station at Wallops that transmits updates on launch day?
I know in the past 96.5 WCTG has sent out updates.
https://965ctg.com
I know cellphone coverage can be spotty in some areas out near the launch site (I live there after all!), but you could prob maintain enough signal to get twitter updates. Just a thought.
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190277615208353792
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https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1190283851651784706
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https://twitter.com/TheFavoritist/status/1190284750143082496
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Weather Still 95% Favorable for Northrop Grumman’s CRS-12 Launch Nov. 2
Micheala Sosby Posted on November 1, 2019
The latest weather forecast stands at 95% favorable for the launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket from Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. At this time, the only weather concern being tracked is a very slight chance of cloud ceilings for a launch attempt on Saturday morning.
Northrop Grumman’s 12th contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver approximately 8,200 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. NASA’s commercial partner Northrop Grumman is scheduled to launch its Antares rocket carrying its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station at 9:59 a.m. EDT on Nov. 2.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/northropgrumman/2019/11/01/weather-still-95-favorable-for-northrop-grummans-crs-12-launch-nov-2/
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Today, a cargo spacecraft leaves @Space_Station, 1 day before the next is set to launch.
Watch NASA TV: https://www.nasa.gov/live
🛰️ 11:30am ET: Learn about science aboard @northropgrumman's Cygnus
🛰️ 1pm: @JAXA_en cargo craft departs
🚀 2:30pm: Prelaunch updates from @NASA_Wallops
https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1190274044865785859
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November 2, Saturday
9:30 a.m. – Coverage of the Launch of the Northrop Grumman NG-12 Cygnus Cargo Craft Mission to the International Space Station; launch scheduled at 9:59 a.m. EDT (13.59 UTC)– Johnson Space Center via Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia (All Channels)
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DeMauro: This will be the first time that we fly two Cygnus spacecraft in orbit at the same time, as the NG-11 vehicle is still on orbit. The extended duration missions could be a good capability for rideshares in the future.
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Eberly: The mass capability of Antares has been improved by strengthening the launch vehicle to allow for 100% throttle through Max-Q and by lightening the first and second stages.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ros2IqdV4_E
Published on 1 Nov 2019
On Nov 1, NASA held a briefing at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to discuss the science, research and technology payloads being transported to the International Space Station aboard the next NG-12 Cygnus Cargo Craft mission to the ISS.
The briefings and participants are:
o Pete Hasbrook, manager, International Space Station Program Science Office
o Liz Warren, associate program scientist, U.S. National Lab
o Dr. Sam Ting, AMS-02 principal investigator, and Ken Bollweg, AMS Project Manager
o Kathleen Coderre, principal investigator, AstroRad Vest
o Alessandro Grattoni, chairman of the Department of NanoMedicine at the Houston Methodist Research Institute, CraigX Flight Test Program
o Mary Murphy - Senior Internal Payloads Manager, Zero-G Oven
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Eberly: Antares rolled out to the pad and went vertical on Tuesday. The rocket then went through checkouts on Wednesday before going horizontal in preparation for late load. The vehicle will go back to vertical tomorrow at around 9 pm Eastern.
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Northrop Grumman Set to Launch 12th Cargo Delivery Mission to the International Space Station for NASA
First mission under follow-on commercial resupply services contract; spacecraft named for Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean
DULLES, Va. – Nov. 1, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is set to launch the company’s AntaresTM rocket carrying its CygnusTM cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station for NASA. Pending completion of cargo late load and acceptable local weather conditions, the launch will take place Nov. 2, with lift-off scheduled for 9:59 a.m. EDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft are set to launch the Company’s 12th cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station.
Scheduled to rendezvous and berth with the station on Nov. 4, 2019, NG-12 marks the 12th Cygnus mission to deliver cargo to the ISS and the first launch under the company’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 (CRS-2) contract. NG-12 will be the heaviest load carried by both Cygnus and Antares with approximately 8,200 pounds (3,729 kilograms) of cargo for the station. The rocket’s 230+ version will be used for this mission which includes upgrades to the Stage 1 core, lighter composite structures and an optimized second stage motor. The upgraded Stage 1 core allows the Antares engines to perform at full thrust throughout most of the first stage flight profile.
“With these upgrades, we are able to offer NASA more cargo capacity for their CRS-2 missions by increasing the performance of Antares. We are also providing more flexibility for the final cargo load,” said Scott Lehr, vice president and general manager, flight systems, Northrop Grumman. “As a commercial partner to NASA, we are dedicated to providing the best value to our customer in support of their critical missions.”
On this mission, Cygnus will undergo a late load of critical cargo 24 hours before the scheduled launch. This capability allows time-sensitive payloads, such as the live rodents flying on Cygnus, to be safely transported to the space station. Earlier this year, Northrop Grumman began providing science facilities for NASA to support rodent research at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. A key flexibility feature added for CRS-2 is the ability for NASA to significantly alter the final cargo load by up to 20 percent as late as 24 hours before liftoff.
Another new capability that will be demonstrated during this mission is the simultaneous operation of two Cygnus spacecraft in orbit. The NG-12 mission will be in orbit at the same time as the NG-11 Cygnus spacecraft, which launched in April 2019 on an extended duration flight. The ability to fly two vehicles at once further demonstrates the robustness of Cygnus to support the goals of NASA’s ambitious missions.
“Northrop Grumman is honored to continue providing cargo logistics services to the space station under NASA’s second commercial resupply services contract as a trusted partner,” said Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager, space systems, Northrop Grumman. “The Cygnus spacecraft continues to provide critical services to the orbiting laboratory while demonstrating a number of innovative capabilities, and our recent partnership with the Eastern Virginia Medical School is just one of the ways we’re expanding our program.”
Northrop Grumman names each Cygnus spacecraft in honor of astronauts and individuals who contributed to the U.S. commercial space program. For the NG-12 mission, the company commemorates astronaut Alan Bean who was selected by NASA to fly on Apollo 12, the second landing of humans on the moon. The mission, launched in 1969, recently marked its 50th anniversary. Bean also flew as the commander of Skylab 3, the second crewed mission to Skylab where he spent 59 days aboard the orbiting station, setting a new world record at that time. After retiring from NASA, Bean dedicated his life to painting scenes inspired by his time on the lunar surface. The S.S Alan Bean’s trip to the space station honors Bean’s dedication to advance capabilities that allowed humans to explore space in greater length and detail, as well as his desire to share his experiences with the rest of the world.
The S.S. Alan Bean will be captured by the space station at approximately 4:10 a.m. EST on Nov. 4, 2019. The spacecraft will remain attached to the space station for approximately two months before departing with up to 8,200 pounds (approximately 3,720 kilograms) of disposal cargo. The removal of these objects is a crucial step in keeping the station operational.
Once Cygnus is unberthed from the station, it will reposition to deploy CubeSats using a Nanoracks deployer. The Slingshot CubeSat Deployer System is also scheduled to be installed by astronauts while Cygnus is docked to the station for another round of CubeSat deployments. This reinforces how the Cygnus spacecraft continues to serve commercial business in low-earth orbit through the second phase of its resupply missions to the space station.
Live coverage of the Antares launch and Cygnus berthing with the station will be available on NASA Television at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.
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FEATURE ARTICLE: Upgraded Antares ready to launch first CRS2 NASA flight of Cygnus -
- By Chris Gebhardt:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/11/upgraded-antares-launch-first-crs2-nasa-cygnus/
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1190344045006073856
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https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1190344636235210752
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https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1190349183007543298
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXywQqUE5mM
The briefings and participants are:
o Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
o Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager, Space Systems, Northrop Grumman
o Kurt Eberly, Antares vice president, Northrop Grumman
o Pete Hasbrook, manager, International Space Station Program Science Office
o Jeff Reddish, Wallops Range Antares project manager
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Watch the Antares Launch Live Online
Micheala Sosby Posted on November 1, 2019
Live launch coverage schedule:
Friday, Nov. 1, 2:30 p.m. ET: Pre-launch briefing for Northrop Grumman’s cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.
Saturday, Nov. 2, 9:59 a.m. ET: Launch of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft on resupply mission. Lifting off aboard an Antares rocket from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad-0A at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Cygnus will deliver several tons of cargo including supplies and science experiments to the International Space Station.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/northropgrumman/2019/11/01/watch-the-antares-launch-live-online-2/
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190270918662197248
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twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1190390816742789122
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket basks under golden light as late load operations continue ahead of tomorrow morning’s 9:59 a.m. EDT mission to resupply the International Space Station.
https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1190391232335355904
Late load operations continue at sunset this evening ahead of tomorrow morning’s 9:59 a.m. EDT Northrop Grumman Antares mission to resupply the International Space Station.
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https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1190423882139938816
And we are vertical! Late cargo load is complete and #Antares now sits poised for launch on Pad 0A at @NASA_Wallops as we begin our final countdown to tomorrow’s launch. The 5-minute window will open at 9:59 am ET. #NorthropGrumman
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https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto/status/1190428941930110978
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Antares NG-12 Media Tour - Photographed by Michael Baylor and Brady Kenniston.
The rocket in the Horizontal Integration Facility will launch NG-13 in February.
https://youtu.be/jh5MY7isxJY
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It was announced that Arbuckle Neck Rd will be closed at 7am.
Will they kick out everyone who was already there before 7am?
Thank you.
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My understanding is yes, they will kick you out at that time.
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https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1190586250534825984
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https://twitter.com/thefavoritist/status/1190595732014796805
These views are insane! Thanks for the show @NASA_Wallops!
Wish this was the light for launch.
https://twitter.com/thefavoritist/status/1190592019271442433
The sun has started to rise at our viewing location for @northropgrumman’s NG-12 launch.
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https://twitter.com/chrisg_nsf/status/1190592580884451329
Thrust Vector Control tests - to make sure the engines can gimbal to the approbate positions needed for launch - are complete and GOOD. @northropgrumman #NG12 #NASA #Cygnus #Antares
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https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/1190585410357022720
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https://twitter.com/chrisg_nsf/status/1190605622934409217
Weather briefing: no changes. Very nice weather. Max winds 99kts. All within limits. 100% GO forecast! #NG12 #NASA #Antares #Cygnus @northropgrumman
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Don't think the stream link was posted yet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWZKQ73aGrg
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GO to begin propellant loading.
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NASA-TV Wallops on UStream
https://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-tv-wallops
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Countdown resumed. LOX and RP-1 stage 1 load ops in work.
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190610094947545089
https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190610285981306880
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190610996244701184
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190612444978307072
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190615135599153152
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LOX load (slow fill) has started.
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LOX load now in fast fill. RP-1 in fast fill continues, too.
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190616859260989440
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Flight trajectory 3 is the selected flight profile for today, and it is being loaded into Antares' flight computer now.
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190618496981446656
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Range GREEN for toxic and debris. Weather 100% GO forecast for launch.
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190619990384431106
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L-35 minutes.
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NASA coverage starting in about three minutes.
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NASA's cool music now
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190621690348363776
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L-30 minutes.
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NASA coverage has started.
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190622766464225281
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MCCH and NG mission control.
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L-25 minutes.
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What's on board.
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Upper Level Winds are GO.
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190624182125678594
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L-20 minutes.
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Talking about Cygnus late loading.
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Fairing internal air temp being configured for launch.
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First flight of upgraded 231 Antares rocket
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Differences between 230 and 230+!
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https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1190625356354588672
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https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1190625716813127686
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First flight of upgraded 231 Antares rocket
230+, not 231.
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L-15 minutes. SS Alan Bean.
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Confirmed. Cygnus is on internal power.
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POLLING for launch!
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L-13 minutes. Performing poll.
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Poll complete. GO FOR LAUNCH!
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Alan Bean was LM pilot on Apollo 12. They made a pin point landing on the moon only 500 feet from the Surveyor 3 craft
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Look up! 🚀@NorthropGrumman is launching the CRS-12 mission from Wallops Island, Virginia, at 9:59 a.m. EDT – and it may be visible to much of the East Coast.
https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/1190615723854483456
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L-12 minutes. Go for launch!
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T-10 minutes.
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T-9 minutes.
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T-8 minutes.
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T-7 minutes.
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T-5mins. Engine chilldown has begun.
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T-6 minutes.
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T-5 minutes. Engine prime has started.
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RANGE GREEN
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T-4 minutes. Range is green.
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T-3 minutes. Switch to Nav mode.
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T-2 minutes.
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T-1 minute.
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LAUNCH!
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Engines at 100% Attitude and pressure nominal.
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Liftoff!
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Max-Q. All tracking nominal performance.
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90secs to stage shutdown. All nominal
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T+1 minute.
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https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1190630162368475137
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T+2 minutes.
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Main Engine Cutoff. Antares now in a coast.
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Stage 1 sep confirmed.
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Payload fairing separation confirmed.
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Stage 2 IGNITION
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Main engine cutoff.
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Power and telemetry nominal.
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Second stage ignition and fairing separation.
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Stage 2 SHUTDOWN.
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T+6 minutes.
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Cutoff.
T+7 minutes.
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MISSION SUCCESS!
Cygnus separation confirmed!
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T+8 minutes. Apogee and perigee within one sigma.
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Spacecraft separation!
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Very nominal!
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1190631997938511872
Great coverage, Steven and Chris.
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Next launch for Cygnus is early next year.
Congratulations to Northrop Grumman and NASA for the successful launch!
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Safing and disabling ground equipment.
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During ascent there were a couple callouts of “alpha 1 degree” that I don't recall hearing before. Is that because of the pitch over?
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NASA launch photo
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During ascent there were a couple callouts of “alpha 1 degree” that I don't recall hearing before. Is that because of the pitch over?
"Alpha" is aerodynamics-speak for angle of attack, the angle between the vehicle's longitudinal axis and the relative wind. If I recall correctly from yesterday's briefing, one of the upgrades to the Antares 230+ is that they've tweaked the avionics to allow them to maintain 100% thrust throughout the ascent, and not throttle down through max-Q. Part of that is a steering program that adjusts based on wind conditions to avoid excess crosswind strain on the vehicle. So I'm guessing they're making those callouts to verify that steering is maintaining a sufficiently small angle of attack.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWZKQ73aGrg
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https://twitter.com/thefavoritist/status/1190636699816202250
Liftoff if the @northropgrumman NG-12 mission carrying science and supplies to the International Space Station!
What an amazing morning for launch!
twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1190639204377792515
Liftoff of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket, launching at 9:59 a.m. with 8,200 pounds of supplies and science headed to the International Space Station.
🚀🚀🚀
My gallery will be updated throughout the day here: johnkrausphotos.com/Launch-Galleri…
Edit to add:
https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1190646110479618049
More photos of this morning’s launch of NG-12 to the International Space Station:
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U.S. Cygnus Cargo Ship Reaches Orbit for Monday Delivery
Mark Garcia Posted on November 2, 2019
On the anniversary of the arrival of the first crew members to live aboard the International Space Station, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus resupply spacecraft is on its way to the station with nearly 8,200 pounds of science investigations and cargo after launching at 9:59 a.m. EDT Saturday, Nov. 2 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. At the time of lift off, the International Space Station was traveling over the south Atlantic southwest of Cape Town, South Africa, at an altitude of 257 statute miles.
The spacecraft launched on an Antares 230+ rocket from the Virginia Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad 0A at Wallops. Automated command to initiate solar array deploy will begin about 2 hours and 53 minutes after launch (about 12:53 p.m.). Solar array deployment will take about 30 minutes. Confirmation of solar deployment will be shared on the launch blog and social media at @NASA_Wallops and @space_station.
Cygnus is scheduled to arrive at the orbiting laboratory around 4:10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 4. Coverage of the spacecraft’s approach and arrival will begin at 2:45 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Expedition 61 astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch of NASA will use the space station’s robotic arm to capture Cygnus, while NASA’s Andrew Morgan monitors telemetry. The spacecraft is scheduled to stay at the space station until January.
The Cygnus spacecraft for this space station resupply mission is named in honor of NASA astronaut Alan Bean. The late Apollo 12 astronaut flew to the Moon on Apollo 12 and became the fourth human to walk on the lunar surface. This is Northrop Grumman’s 12th cargo flight to the space station, and the first under its Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract with NASA, will support dozens of new and existing investigations.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/11/02/u-s-cygnus-cargo-ship-reaches-orbit-for-monday-delivery/
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Antares launches the NG-12 mission to resupply the International Space Station.
https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1190634944428695553
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https://twitter.com/thefavoritist/status/1190680160930058242
Break out your sunglasses for my remote photos from @northropgrumman’s NG-12 launch this morning. You can read the Cyrillic on my engine shot 😎
https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1190680009838669824
That’s hot. 🔥 🚀 😎
Two RD-181 engines propel the Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and 8,200 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station this morning!
Edit to add:
https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1190675074648551427
😱😱😱😱😱😱
Two RD-181 engines of the Antares first stage send the Cygnus cargo vehicle on its way to the International Space Station from @NASA_Wallops.
#NG12 #Antares #Cygnus
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https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1190634032687697928
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1190635830257340417
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1190695134658256896
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https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1190682485354569728 (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1190682485354569728)
Mission Update: We have confirmed that the solar arrays are fully deployed on the S.S. Alan Bean #Cygnus. Next stop: @Space_Station! Rendezvous is scheduled for this Monday November 4, with live coverage beginning on @NASA TV at 2:45 am ET. #NorthropGrumman
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Solar Arrays Successfully Deployed on Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus Spacecraft
Micheala Sosby Posted on November 2, 2019
The solar arrays have successfully deployed on Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft that is its way to deliver about 8,200 pounds of science and research, crew supplies, and hardware to the International Space Station. This is the company’s 12th contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA.
This mission, designated NG-12, will be in orbit at the same time as its predecessor, the NG-11 Cygnus spacecraft, which launched in April on an extended duration flight. The NG-12 Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the space station until January before it disposes of several thousand pounds of trash through its fiery reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. The ability to fly two vehicles at once further demonstrates the robustness of Cygnus to support the goals of NASA’s ambitious missions.
Coverage of the spacecraft’s approach and arrival to the orbiting laboratory will begin Monday, Nov. 4 at 2:45 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Expedition 61 astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch of NASA will use the space station’s robotic arm to capture Cygnus at around 4:10 a.m., while NASA’s Andrew Morgan monitors telemetry. The spacecraft is scheduled to stay at the space station until January.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/northropgrumman/2019/11/02/solar-arrays-successfully-deployed-on-northrop-grummans-cygnus-spacecraft/
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Two objects from the Cygnus launch cataloged: Castor 30XL motor in a 187 x 257 km x 51.6 deg orbit, and the SS Alan Bean cargo ship in a 244 x 273 km x 51.6 deg orbit, presumably after a first orbit raising burn.
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1190705010306428928
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https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1190783166447017990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk8lNKVw-Xo
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An overview of some of the experiments flying on Cygnus NG-12:
https://www.issnationallab.org/press-releases/northrop-grumman-crs-12-mission-overview/
Attached is also the NASA PDF NG-12 overview.
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https://twitter.com/TSKelso/status/1190694344673484811
If this is correct, there must be two more small/cubesats onboard NG-12.
We only know 12 by NanoRacks and the STPSat.
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Thanks everyone for their advice on viewing the launch from the Old NASA Ferry Pier! Me and my friends had a great time, and I'll certainly be back next time I get to view a launch.
I did get some pictures, but unfortunately my camera setup isn't as sophisticated as most others here. So while they're certainly not world-class photos, I'm pretty happy with what I got (though I did forget to clean the lenses before the launch).
Although, if anyone has any recommendations for long-range photography like this on a hobbyist budget, I'd certainly take them! ;D
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Thanks everyone for their advice on viewing the launch from the Old NASA Ferry Pier! Me and my friends had a great time, and I'll certainly be back next time I get to view a launch.
I did get some pictures, but unfortunately my camera setup isn't as sophisticated as most others here. So while they're certainly not world-class photos, I'm pretty happy with what I got (though I did forget to clean the lenses before the launch).
Although, if anyone has any recommendations for long-range photography like this on a hobbyist budget, I'd certainly take them! ;D
Did you almost knock someone's camera do-dad into the bay?
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You mean a go-pro like thing? Haha yes that was me! Thank goodness it landed safely, or I'd have been fishing in that river muck for a good bit. I'm guessing you were on the old dock as well? Were you the guy that informed me of space flight insiders?
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NASA TV Broadcasts Cygnus Arrival at Station on Monday
Mark Garcia Posted on November 3, 2019
A Northrop Grumman cargo ship carrying about 8,200 pounds of science and research investigations, supplies, and hardware is set to arrive to the International Space Station early Monday morning.
The uncrewed Cygnus spacecraft launched at 9:59 a.m. EDT Saturday, Nov. 2 on an Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
When Cygnus, dubbed the S.S. Alan Bean, arrives to the space station on Monday, Nov. 4, Expedition 61 astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch of NASA will use the space station’s robotic arm to capture Cygnus, and NASA’s Andrew Morgan will monitor telemetry. After Cygnus’ capture, ground controllers will command the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station’s Unity module for a two-month stay.
Live coverage will begin on NASA TV at 2:45 a.m. and return to the air at 6:30 a.m. for installation coverage. Watch at www.nasa.gov/live
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/11/03/nasa-tv-broadcasts-cygnus-arrival-at-station-on-monday/
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https://twitter.com/NASA_Johnson/status/1190645597721812993
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Crew just checked in with MCC-H.
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Node 1 CBM being powered up
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Approach initiation burn complete
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Cygnus range 1,000 meters
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NASA TV coverage in 5 minutes
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Tally ho on Cygnus from ISS
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NASA TV coverage starting, Cygnus visible on ISS cameras
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Megan Levins, CAPCOM :)
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https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1191260951070289925
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400 meter
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Cygnus Flight Control room.
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As Cygnus got closer to ISS, SSRMS operators in Cupola. manned the RWS "Robotics Work Station" to prepare for the grapple of the spacecraft and watch over the progress of the rendezvous with the ability of sending commands to the vehicle via the Crew Command Panel (CCP)
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R-Bar Approach (Radial Bar is an imaginary line connecting ISS to the center of the Earth)
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Sunset in 4 mn
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S.S. Alan Bean
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250 meter Hold Point "HP-1", Cygnus switches to its TriDAR proximity navigation system to continue through final approach.
https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1191263263356416001
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CUCU monitor.
"COTS Ultra-high Frequency Communication Unit" (the bi-directional,communications system will allow ISS crewmembers to monitor and command approaching or departing visiting spacecraft during cargo delivery missions to the station.)
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Resuming approach...
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Cargo.
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Entering the KOS "Keep Out Sphere" (an imaginary circle drawn 200 meters (656 feet) around the station that prevents the risk of collision)
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Getting closer and closer....
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https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1191268700633960448
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100 meter.
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Inside 80 meter above Arizona.
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Sunrise in 10 mn.
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65 meter.
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Cygnus 11 re-entry Dec 11
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Sunrise in 3mn.
http://www.satflare.com/track.asp#TOP
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30 m hold point "HP-2".
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Resuming Approach in around 10 minutes...
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Orienting camera for capture...
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GO/NO GO poll between NG MCC and MCC-H
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Resuming Final Approach to Capture Point.
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Above Algeria...
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https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1191277482676080641
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View from LEE cam.
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Capture Point 10 meters below the ISS .
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https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1191278999781199872
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"Capture conditions confirm, crew si ready for Cygnus capture"
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Final GO/NO GO poll
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"GO for capture sequence"
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Cygnus in Free Drift (and ISS into a Fine Attitude Hold with thrusters disabled).
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SSRMS in motion....
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LEE over the pin, snares were command to close
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CAPTURE !
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https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/11/cygnus-ng-12-iss-increased-science-capability/
Great coverage again, Centaurinasa!
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Cygnus NG-12 "Alan Bean" arrive at destination !
Some words from Jessica
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ISS crew safing SSRMS now...
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Capture at 09.10 UTC over Madagascar
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https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1191282324366905344
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Never get enough of these HD images ! :)
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And….end of NASA TV coverage
Next:
6:00 a.m. ET - Coverage of the Installation of the Northrop Grumman NG-12 Cygnus Cargo Craft to the Unity Module of the International Space Station (All Channels)
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In ISS, SSRMS operators now, hand robotics off to ROBO at MCC-H
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still not a fan of "astronaut comments" about significant events that are obviously PAO scripts. They sound contrived and forced. Give the crews a guideline and let them speak originally and intelligently...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1091f7iSqA
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And….end of NASA TV coverage
Next:
6:30 a.m. ET - Coverage of the Installation of the Northrop Grumman NG-12 Cygnus Cargo Craft to the Unity Module of the International Space Station (All Channels)
PAO said NASA TV coverage would resume at 6:00 AM ET.
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Thanks! 8)
...PAO said NASA TV coverage would resume at 6:00 AM ET.
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On UStream...
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Any information about the silvery MMOD shield section (I guess it's where the Cubesat deployers are located?) and the radiator-looking patches on the other side of the pressurized module?
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Cygnus is approaching Node 1
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Seems that Cygnus is already in "Pre-Install Position"
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A few minutes ahead of timeline, 2 feet from structure, so no exercise restriction in effect
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In ISS, the crew make a visual inspection of Cygnus's CBM and take images downlinked to MCC-H (for engineers evaluation)
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NASA TV coverage in 5 minutes
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You mean a go-pro like thing? Haha yes that was me! Thank goodness it landed safely, or I'd have been fishing in that river muck for a good bit. I'm guessing you were on the old dock as well? Were you the guy that informed me of space flight insiders?
Haha, yeah. That was me.
I still find it funny when I later find I've randomly run into someone.
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Any information about the silvery MMOD shield section (I guess it's where the Cubesat deployers are located?) and the radiator-looking patches on the other side of the pressurized module?
What an unfamiliarly patchy looking Cygnus... I wonder the same.
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About 1 hour ahead of scheduled timeline.
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The Centerline Berthing Camera System provide relative-state, alignment
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Now, in "Ready-To-Latch-Position"
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https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1191311303538659328
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first stage capture complete
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"1st stage capture": crew closed four latches and started driving bolts (SSRMS in limp-mode)
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"2nd Stage Capture": four sets of four bolts are drive to secure Cygnus in place.
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Second stage capture complete at 11.21 UTC !
ISS config. updated.
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NASA TV coverage end and thanks to our today's PAO, Leah Cheshier for the Coverage (and Targeteer too…)
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https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1191318243262251008
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Ingress after the mid-day meal
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Houston berthing steps are ahead of the timeline and the crew is cleared to start their berthed procedures early
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First: after CBCS cam removal, vestibule pressurization and leak checks (60 mn)
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https://twitter.com/ROBO_Birchnall/status/1191326467218714626
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Leak check in progress...
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Astronaut Jessica Meir and Christina Koch Capture Cygnus with Station’s Robotic Arm
Mark Garcia Posted on November 4, 2019
At 4:10 a.m. EST, Expedition 61 NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch of NASA used the International Space Station’s robotic Canadarm2 to grapple the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft as NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan monitored Cygnus systems during its approach. Next, ground controllers will command the station’s arm to rotate and install Cygnus, dubbed the S.S. Alan Bean, on the bottom of the station’s Unity module.
The station was flying over Madagascar when it was captured.
NASA Television coverage of installation will begin at 6:30 a.m., and installation of the Cygnus spacecraft to the space station is expected to be completed later this morning. Cygnus will remain at the orbiting laboratory for a two-month stay.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/11/04/astronaut-jessica-meir-and-christina-koch-capture-cygnus-with-stations-robotic-arm/
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Cygnus Resupply Ship Attached to Unity for Cargo Operations
Mark Garcia Posted on November 4, 2019
After its capture this morning at 4:10 a.m. EST, the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft was bolted into place on the International Space Station’s Earth-facing port of the Unity module at 6:21 a.m. At the time of installation, Cygnus was flying over the south Pacific.
This mission, designated NG CRS-12, will be in orbit at the same time as its predecessor, the NG CRS-11 Cygnus spacecraft, which launched in April on an extended duration flight. The NG CRS-12 Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the space station until January before it disposes of several thousand pounds of trash through its fiery reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. The ability to fly two vehicles at once further demonstrates the robustness of Cygnus to support the goals of NASA’s ambitious missions.
The spacecraft’s arrival brings close to 8,200 pounds of research and supplies to space station. Here are some of the scientific investigations:
More Probing of Mysteries of the Universe
This mission carries components needed to prolong the operational life of Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 (AMS-02). In a series of spacewalks planned in the coming weeks, astronauts will cut and reconnect fluid lines on the instrument, a feat not done before in space, which could prove valuable for future missions at NASA’s upcoming lunar Gateway for the Artemis program or missions to Mars.
Testing Personal Protective Equipment for Astronauts
The AstroRad Vest tests a special garment designed to protect astronauts from radiation caused by unpredictable solar particle events. Astronauts will provide input on the garment as they wear it while performing daily tasks. Use of the vest could protect crew members on missions to the Moon and Mars.
Food Fresh from the Oven
The Zero-G Oven examines heat transfer properties and the process of baking food in microgravity. It uses an oven designed specifically for use aboard the space station, and may have application on future long-duration missions by offering a way to increase variety in flavor and nutrition of food for crew members.
3D Printing with Recycled Materials
The Made in Space Recycler will test systems needed to reprocess plastic into 3D printing filament that can then be transferred for use to the Made in Space Manufacturing Device, a 3D printer that has operated on the orbiting laboratory since 2016. This has implications for space conservation and deep space missions.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/11/04/cygnus-resupply-ship-attached-to-unity-for-cargo-operations/
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In progress, Vestibule outfitting with installation of air ducts and removal of equipment needed to bolt Cygnus in Place.
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Before openning VV Hatch ,the 4 CPA "Control Panel Assemblies" (used to drive the CBM Bolts) are going to be rotated
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Any information about the silvery MMOD shield section (I guess it's where the Cubesat deployers are located?) and the radiator-looking patches on the other side of the pressurized module?
What an unfamiliarly patchy looking Cygnus... I wonder the same.
This is the first Cygnus vehicle with the capability to accommodate unpressurized cargo on its hull for disposal at the end of its mission.
The external cargo mounting point is easily visible on the pressurized cargo module in this view.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/02/cygnus-ng-12-mission-status-center/
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Pressure equalization is almost completed.
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Haven't seen an explanation yet of the apparent change in appearance of the NG-12 Cygnus PCM. Looks like the standard MMOD panels have been replaced in some places by radiators? One segment is just bare mylar? Anyone have a source for more information on these apparent differences between past Cygnus vehicles?
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Go for Cygnus hatch opening.
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Any information about the silvery MMOD shield section (I guess it's where the Cubesat deployers are located?) and the radiator-looking patches on the other side of the pressurized module?
What an unfamiliarly patchy looking Cygnus... I wonder the same.
This is the first Cygnus vehicle with the capability to accommodate unpressurized cargo on its hull for disposal at the end of its mission.
The external cargo mounting point is easily visible on the pressurized cargo module in this view.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/02/cygnus-ng-12-mission-status-center/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/02/cygnus-ng-12-mission-status-center/)
Thanks for that source! I noticed it is also mentioned in NSF's NG-12 article, although there it isn't clearly specified where that port was located on the spacecraft. More details about the external cargo mounting role: https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/02/space-station-resupply-mission-successfully-launches-from-virginia/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/02/space-station-resupply-mission-successfully-launches-from-virginia/)
In another first for Cygnus, the NG-12 mission will dispose of two decommissioned experiments mounted outside the space station, a role previously reserved for SpaceX’s Dragon and Japan’s HTV cargo vehicles. The Cygnus spacecraft will depart the space station in January with NASA’s Space Debris Sensor, an experiment that failed soon after its installation on the orbiting complex in 2018, and the European Space Agency’s SOLAR instrument, which monitored the sun’s output for more than nine years.
I wonder how those will be mounted on NG-12, although not many options exist (EVA or SPDM, and I'm guessing only the latter is really an option with the packed EVA schedule in the next few weeks).
Concerning the white patches - could they be related to internal powered cargo needing to be colder than usual (either passively or through an actual radiator)? Although it is not clear to me which payload would need that...
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Ever wondered how cargo vessels get to @Space_Station? It’s a little bit of them parking close by and a little bit of us driving the #Canadarm2 to catch them! Then the ground teams drive the arm to attach them to a docking port.
https://twitter.com/Astro_Christina/status/1191480690879193088
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Today we welcomed Cygnus NG-12 to the @space_station (@iss), named in memory of Alan Bean: test pilot, astronaut, artist . . . and one of my childhood heroes.
https://twitter.com/AstroDrewMorgan/status/1191464239900352513
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Welcome to @Space_Station #Cygnus – hope you enjoyed your ride on the @csa_asc #Canadarm2 and your first sunrise with us. Congratulations to the @northropgrumman @NASA @csa_asc teams on another successful resupply mission.
https://twitter.com/Astro_Jessica/status/1191474116827734016
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8)
https://twitter.com/considercosmos/status/1191485514945368064
😮 Our high-speed cams show the explosive disconnects on Antares #cygnus #NG12 🤩📽️
See more remote camera views and learn about what's on the way to the humans in space. https://t.co/SoBENaRHwp
@ISS_CASIS @ISS_Research
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Haven't seen an explanation yet of the apparent change in appearance of the NG-12 Cygnus PCM. Looks like the standard MMOD panels have been replaced in some places by radiators? One segment is just bare mylar? Anyone have a source for more information on these apparent differences between past Cygnus vehicles?
Looks like a combination of active radiators, white-painted versions of the normal panels, unpainted panels, and bare MLI. I think the only places where theres bare MLI are where the FRAM mounting points for unpressurized cargo disposal are, so those were probably necessary to mount those directly to the PCM structure. The rest are likely testing for HALO and their deep space logistics vehicle, both of which need radiators, though its possible the long-duration freeflying missions after cargo delivery could require that too
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Official arrival and berthing photos. They offer some excellent views of the mysterious white panels and uncovered MLI section. I'm 99% sure that brickmack is correct here, NG happened to release a video with renders a few days ago and the panels aren't a perfect match but they definitely look similar. The MLI-only section is where the unpressurized ISS hardware will be attached for disposal.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3w6S7i1ANs
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I am a bit late to the show, but here are my photos from the NG-12 launch and press events. 8) This was my first launch and also the first event I attended as a member of the media. ;D
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The weather on L-0 was clear enough we were able to view Antares up till MECO! 8)
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Thanks to those on NSF who were there at the launch and other activities, including those at press events, was a wonderful day for a launch.
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Any information about the silvery MMOD shield section (I guess it's where the Cubesat deployers are located?) and the radiator-looking patches on the other side of the pressurized module?
What an unfamiliarly patchy looking Cygnus... I wonder the same.
This is the first Cygnus vehicle with the capability to accommodate unpressurized cargo on its hull for disposal at the end of its mission.
The external cargo mounting point is easily visible on the pressurized cargo module in this view.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/02/cygnus-ng-12-mission-status-center/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/02/cygnus-ng-12-mission-status-center/)
Thanks for that source! I noticed it is also mentioned in NSF's NG-12 article, although there it isn't clearly specified where that port was located on the spacecraft. More details about the external cargo mounting role: https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/02/space-station-resupply-mission-successfully-launches-from-virginia/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/02/space-station-resupply-mission-successfully-launches-from-virginia/)
In another first for Cygnus, the NG-12 mission will dispose of two decommissioned experiments mounted outside the space station, a role previously reserved for SpaceX’s Dragon and Japan’s HTV cargo vehicles. The Cygnus spacecraft will depart the space station in January with NASA’s Space Debris Sensor, an experiment that failed soon after its installation on the orbiting complex in 2018, and the European Space Agency’s SOLAR instrument, which monitored the sun’s output for more than nine years.
I wonder how those will be mounted on NG-12, although not many options exist (EVA or SPDM, and I'm guessing only the latter is really an option with the packed EVA schedule in the next few weeks).
Concerning the white patches - could they be related to internal powered cargo needing to be colder than usual (either passively or through an actual radiator)? Although it is not clear to me which payload would need that...
It is next generation conformal radiator R&D work for their LOP-G modules and other Cygnus con ops plans.
Flight radiators are on the SM.
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The Antares second stage from this week's Cygnus launch reentered late on Nov 7 after 4.4 days in space
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1192899145411055623
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Here is my article on the NG-12 mission for my HS newspaper. This is also the first one I have written on a mission which I was present for as a member of the media. Enjoy!
https://pfhstheroar.com/7813/news/ng-12-successfully-launches-to-resupply-the-international-space-station/# (https://pfhstheroar.com/7813/news/ng-12-successfully-launches-to-resupply-the-international-space-station/#)
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Official arrival and berthing photos. They offer some excellent views of the mysterious white panels and uncovered MLI section. I'm 99% sure that brickmack is correct here, NG happened to release a video with renders a few days ago and the panels aren't a perfect match but they definitely look similar. The MLI-only section is where the unpressurized ISS hardware will be attached for disposal.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3w6S7i1ANs
Thanks for sharing that video with NG's official renders of their Gateway module (apparently now called "HALO" i.e. Habitation and Logistics Outpost) and deep-space Cygnus! Been wondering for a while how they were going to evolve Cygnus to deal with the challenge of needing docking ports on both ends. It's cool that they took advantage of that design (with the new outboard OMS engines) to also allow unpressurized cargo delivery on the deep-space Cygnus.
(Gotta say though, the music in the video was trying a little too hard to be epic. ;) )
I've been pleasantly surprised by how proactive NG/OATK has been at incrementally evolving their various assets (Cygnus, MEV, and even their SRBs with OmegA, although the jury's still out on whether that'll be much of a success) to stay relevant in a rapidly changing space landscape. Of all the "old space" companies right now (with the exception of Sierra Nevada, who's technically "old space" but doesn't act like it), they seem to be most aware that waiting for government funding to pay them to so much as sneeze is a recipe for getting left behind. (*cough* Boeing *cough*) I found it noteworthy that in a roundtable discussion amongst SLS contractors a year or two ago (wish I remembered where it was...) they were the only ones telling the rest "hey, we should be thinking past the lucrative development-phase gravy train and planning for serial production", something the others seemed uninterested in hearing. Meanwhile they've been quietly taking the assets they have and building them into clever new things that are far enough along to win contracts while their competitors are still in the PowerPoint phase. Blue Origin could learn a thing or two from them about "gradatim ferocitur". ;)
Cygnus has been the best example of this. First they added external cubesat deployers to capitalize on the burgeoning smallsat market. AFAIK that's all been a private enterprise (partnering with NanoRacks and the like) - hitching a more or less free ride on already-paid-for NASA CRS missions to launch cubesats for very little marginal cost. Then they added the SlingShot deployer on the front hatch for even more cubesat deployment flexibility. Around the same time they started extending the duration of Cygnus missions - first just seeing how long they could keep one up there after leaving the ISS, then adding reaction control gyros to make the station keeping fuel last a lot longer. Now they've got two of them up there at the same time to prove out their ability to handle that in mission control. All of this has been on missions already paid for by NASA, after the primary mission was over - a lot like how SpaceX developed first-stage reuse on the cheap (they could afford to lose a lot of boosters because they'd already done their paid-for job).
When I heard that they'd been given a sole-source contract for the Gateway hab module, on the basis that they were the only contractor who NASA saw even being close to delivering on time for 2024, I realized how this gradual investment had paid off. None of their competitors were ready because they were waiting for funding before actually bending metal. Meanwhile NG already had an active production line for Cygnus and a credible plan to straightforwardly evolve it into the needed Gateway module (HALO).
I then guessed "hmm, we'll probably see Cygnus starting to look more and more like HALO between now and 2024" and sure enough, NG-12 shows up with the same radiator panels shown in the HALO renders. I wonder what we'll see on NG-13 and NG-14. My guess would be they'll replace the berthing node with an IDS-compatible docking port and try automated rendezvous and docking sometime soon. They've already done most of the hard work for automated rendezvous and docking with the MEV (Mission Extension Vehicle) project; MEV-1 was launched recently and is on its way to dock with an old GEO comsat. Docking to the ISS/Gateway is a little more complicated due to the complex rules and need for human safety, but again, the hardest part has been done. Building the IDS port itself doesn't seem too hard - SpaceX and Boeing have both already done it and we haven't heard either of them complain about it ever being a "long pole in the tent" for Commercial Crew.
IIRC, NASA set a target time frame of 2021 for their proposed commercial node module to be added to the ISS at Harmony Forward. 2021 would be crazy aggressive for that, but I can see why NASA would want it that fast, because the IDAs are going to get crowded as private crew and cargo flights pick up. NG is the only company I could see being able to deliver such a node that fast (except perhaps SpaceX, but they're not really interested in that). It would be basically a clone of their HALO module for the Gateway, except simpler, because it can rely on the ISS for things that HALO will need to do on its own (life support especially; also there's no need for xenon propellant transfer to the PPE from visiting cargo vehicles). It would make a lot of sense for them to do an ISS module first in 2021-22 as a "dry run" for HALO.
Heck, once they've got IDS ports and automated docking on Cygnus, there's all sorts of fun things they can do in the post-mission phase. With androgynous ports they could dock a couple of them together and declare it the "first private space station". Not much of a station (and it wouldn't be permanent), but it'd get them in the history books and put them squarely in the lead in the race to a commercial station to replace the ISS. If they wanted to get really fancy they could switch to the new HALO/deep-space-Cygnus service module that lets them put a docking port (with no pressurized pass-through) on the aft end in addition to the main front one, allowing two Cygni to dock together while leaving their front ports free. They could then contract SpaceX or Boeing to have one of their Commercial Crew missions swing by the "Cygnus station" for a day or two on the way home from an ISS crew rotation, getting them another world record and allowing them to run some tests. The PR value alone would be huge.
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The Cygnus NG-12 cargo vehicle hangs out after arriving to the International Space Station on 4 November.
The latest resupply mission includes over 4 tonnes of science experiments, crew supplies, and station hardware. It also crucially includes components essential for the series of spacewalks taking place this month.
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Seems there is HD view on UStream …. 8)
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Couple of extra NG-12 images I found in my folder. The first one is of Pad-0A viewed from Assawoman. In the photo, the Antares was being raised to vertical around 8:45 EDT on Nov 1. In the second image is from the media tour bus driving across the causeway to Wallops Island. In the image is the whole MARS or Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport complex, with Antares horizontal at pad-0A, then LC-2, and finally pad-0B.
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Does it look like the RD-181s are behind this cover or would it be on the other side? the bulges in the tarp look like they are engine bells but I could be completely wrong.
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Handheld phone video of the NG-12 launch as viewed from the media/press site on Nov 2, 2019. Video is 2mins in length and covers the last seconds of the count to near MECO.
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https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191203005289/en/Spaceflight’s-SEOPS-2-Mission-Launch-Multiple-Spacecraft-International
Spaceflight, the leading provider of mission management and rideshare integration services, announced that together with Hypergiant SEOPS, it will be launching three CubeSats from the International Space Station (ISS) and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft in early January.
The payloads will travel to the ISS through a NASA Commercial Resupply (CRS) mission aboard a SpaceX Dragon scheduled to launch atop a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on December 4.
Spacecraft on Spaceflight’s SEOPS-2 mission include:
Two NASA CubeSats, both selected for flight by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative to fly on the ELaNa 28 mission:
Compact Infrared Radiometer in Space instrument (CIRiS), built by Ball Aerospace, is designed to investigate and optimize the calibration of infrared images acquired from a 6U CubeSat and can benefit a variety of Earth science applications, including land and water use management. CIRiS was selected by NASA’s In Space Validation of Earth Science Technology (InVEST) program. EdgeCube, a student-built 1U CubeSat, developed via a partnership with Sonoma State University, Santa Clara University, and Morehead State University, is designed to see ecosystem change over time, as well as train and educate future STEM students.
A DARPA 6U CubeSat
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I am hearing that the NG-12 Cygnus will be released from the ISS on January 31 and deploy those cubesats on February 1.
Does anyone have anything on the time of day for that release?
Any way to monitor events as they unfold?
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I am hearing that the NG-12 Cygnus will be released from the ISS on January 31 and deploy those cubesats on February 1.
Does anyone have anything on the time of day for that release?
Any way to monitor events as they unfold?
From the NASA TV schedule: (Could change, of course.)
January 31, Friday
9:15 a.m. – Coverage of the departure of the Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo craft from the International Space Station. Release scheduled at 9:35 a.m. EST (All Channels)
https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public
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I am hearing that the NG-12 Cygnus will be released from the ISS on January 31 and deploy those cubesats on February 1.
Does anyone have anything on the time of day for that release?
Any way to monitor events as they unfold?
From the NASA TV schedule: (Could change, of course.)
January 31, Friday
9:15 a.m. – Coverage of the departure of the Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo craft from the International Space Station. Release scheduled at 9:35 a.m. EST (All Channels)
https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public)
Thanks but I was looking for the time of the release of the cubesats on February 1.
I have been told that it will not be televised, so the NASA TV schedule will not include it.
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Special Condition (1) on experimental Special Temporary Authority (STA) WO9XDR,
FCC File No. 1465-EX-ST-2019, limits the spacecraft time in orbit to two weeks after
International Space Station (ISS) departure. Orbital Sciences has received a request from the
Johnson Space Center (JSC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to extend
the Cygnus NG-12 mission time in orbit to 31 days after its departure from the ISS. The
additional time in orbit will be in direct support of NASA’s objectives for the NG-12 mission.
All other parameters and conditions of the license would remain unchanged.
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Would this make two Cygnus spacecrafts in space for NG-13?
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Would this make two Cygnus spacecrafts in space for NG-13?
Apparently, yes. If all goes according to request and schedule, Cygnus NG-13 would launch and berth at ISS while Cygnus NG-12 carries out its extended mission after departing ISS on Jan. 31.
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Cross post:
Current schedule of ISS flight events
UTC time is used in table
2020
January 31 March 2 - Cygnus (NG-12) deorbit and reentered the atmosphere
Changes on January 13th
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NASA, FCC approve Cygnus NG-12 post-Station mission extension
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/01/nasa-fcc-approve-cygnus-ng-12-extension/
- By Chris Gebhardt
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1217146303173603331
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Can't they hook two Cygnus at the same time to the ISS?
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Jan. 24, 2020
MEDIA ADVISORY M20-013
NASA TV to Air Departure of Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft from Space Station
More than two months after delivering several tons of supplies and scientific experiments to the International Space Station, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft, the SS Alan Bean, will depart the orbiting laboratory on Friday, Jan. 31.
Live coverage of the spacecraft’s release will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning at 9:15 a.m. EST, with release scheduled for 9:35 a.m.
Cygnus will demonstrate a new release position for departure operations and will incorporate the first ground-controlled release. The new orientation allows for easier drift away from the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. With Expedition 61 Flight Engineers Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir of NASA providing backup support, ground controllers will send commands to the Canadarm2 robotic arm to release the unpiloted cargo spacecraft after ground controllers remotely unbolt the craft from the Earth-facing port of the Unity module and maneuver it into release position.
Within 24 hours of its release, Cygnus will begin its secondary mission – deploying a series of payloads – before Northrop Grumman flight controllers in Dulles, Virginia, initiate its deorbit and it executes a safe, destructive reentry into Earth’s atmosphere at the end of February.
More details of Cygnus’ mission and Expedition 61 crew activities can be found at:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-tv-to-air-departure-of-cygnus-cargo-spacecraft-from-space-station
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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/01/28/ultra-cold-science-cubesats-and-spaceship-departures-coming-up/
Meir then installed a different small satellite deployer, this one called SlingShot, on the Cygnus space freighter attached to the Unity module. The SlingShot, attached to Cygnus’ hatch, will release a variety of small satellites after the U.S. cargo craft departs the space station on Friday at 9:35 a.m. EST. The suite of eight CubeSats will study different optical and communication technologies as well as atmospheric and natural phenomena.
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https://twitter.com/AFResearchLab/status/1222625530572394498
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Jessica and Christina are performing Cygnus egress right now.
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MCC-H reports all is go for Cygnus release during the morning DPC
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Above South West Africa...
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https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1223109127850741761
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Sunrise...
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So unberthing was between 11:22 and 11:58 UTC.
@centaurinasa Did you also catch exact unberthing time?
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Another Sunrise...
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So unberthing was between 11:22 and 11:58 UTC.
@centaurinasa Did you also catch exact unberthing time?
no :-[
But before 11.18 I think, in my first image it seems already unberthed...
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Over North Africa...
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Cygnus status, MCC-H to Drew: "SSRMS is in release position…"
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Snares of LEE commanded to open by ROBO at MCC-H
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Snares open, Release at 14.36 UTC !
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Cygnus in free drift, SSRMS slowly back away
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Departure burn
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https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1223255519684694016
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KOS & Approach Ellipsoïd
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Nice view of both SDS and SOLAR on opposite sides of Cygnus here
[edit: I meant the attached, which didn't get quoted for some reason]
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Some words about SS Alan Bean, by Expedition 61 commander Luca Parmitano
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Out of KOS now...
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ISS config.
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Cygnus now at 600 meters from ISS
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https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1223256793322795010
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Outside Approach ellipsoïd.
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End of NASA TV coverage and thanks to our today's PAO Dan Huot.
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https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1223253942907351040
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Picture of the Slingshot deployer
https://twitter.com/federallamm/status/1222923149295132679
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ISS config.
IDA-3 is missing :(
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Some photos: https://www.roscosmos.ru/27708/ (https://www.roscosmos.ru/27708/)
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ISS config.
IDA-3 is missing :(
Email JSC and let them know.
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https://twitter.com/kfacciol/status/1223254964698583043
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https://twitter.com/Nanoracks/status/1223421953001820160
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https://twitter.com/spaceflightinc/status/1223623319540436993
A peek at our #SEOPS2 mission patch. A big day! @hypergiant
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https://twitter.com/spaceflightinc/status/1223639806619475968
Successful deployment! #SEOPS2 @hypergiant
Edit to add: nice view of cubesat deployers on Cygnus
https://twitter.com/federallamm/status/1223361189180252160
A big day for @Hypergiant! ✔️Our #cubesats are poised to deploy this weekend. 👏 @NASA @ISS_CASIS @SpaceflightInc @Astro_Christina @Astro_Jessica
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https://twitter.com/Nanoracks/status/1223421953001820160 (https://twitter.com/Nanoracks/status/1223421953001820160)
(snip) Aerocube 14 A/B & 15 A/B, SwampSat-II, Huskysat-I[, & Orbital Factory-2 have been released into orbit from our #Cygnus #CubeSat deployer!
That looks like five nanosats.
There appear to be six in the photo posted by FutureSpaceTourist.
The one not on the list above is CIRIS (https://www.ball.com/aerospace/programs/ciris) with the blue Ball logo in what looks like Deployer SN 9 in the upper right.
Any idea what happened to CIRIS?
(Was the release broadcast this morning and if so, did anyone capture the video?)
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(snip) Aerocube 14 A/B & 15 A/B, SwampSat-II, Huskysat-I[, & Orbital Factory-2 have been released into orbit from our #Cygnus #CubeSat deployer!
That looks like five nanosats.
There appear to be six in the photo posted by FutureSpaceTourist.
The one not on the list above is CIRIS (https://www.ball.com/aerospace/programs/ciris) with the blue Ball logo in what looks like Deployer SN 9 in the upper right.
Any idea what happened to CIRIS?
(Was the release broadcast this morning and if so, did anyone capture the video?)
Probably you mixed up the NRCSD-E and Slingshot deployer.
From NRCSD-E were deployed seven satellites.
From Slingshot (which is shown in the images above) should be deployed 8 satellites. CIRIS is part of the Slingshot deployment.
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That looks like five nanosats.
There appear to be six in the photo posted by FutureSpaceTourist.
The one not on the list above is CIRIS (https://www.ball.com/aerospace/programs/ciris) with the blue Ball logo in what looks like Deployer SN 9 in the upper right.
Any idea what happened to CIRIS?
(Was the release broadcast this morning and if so, did anyone capture the video?)
Probably you mixed up the NRCSD-E and Slingshot deployer.
From NRCSD-E were deployed seven satellites.
From Slingshot should be deployed 8 satellites. CIRIS is part of the Slingshot deployment.
You are right. I am confused
The tweet made no mention of NRCSD, which deploys out the JEM scientific airlock IIRC.
It would be VERY confusing if they deployed from NRCSD and Slingshot within a few hours
Hypergiant
SEOPS
Slingshot
NRCSD
ALANA
Alphabet soup. Very confusing how they interact
The true benefit of dedicated smallsat launcher might be simplicity.
So were nanosats deployed from Slingshot on Cygnus-12 this morning?
edit: The tweet says “from our #Cygnus #CubeSat deployer”. NRCSD is not part of Cygnus.
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So were nanosats deployed from Slingshot on Cygnus-12 this morning?
At the moment we only know, that CIRIS was deployed from Slingshot. Waiting for more information.
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So were nanosats deployed from Slingshot on Cygnus-12 this morning?
At the moment we only know, that CIRIS was deployed from Slingshot. Waiting for more information.
That’s great news!
What is your source for this information?
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So were nanosats deployed from Slingshot on Cygnus-12 this morning?
At the moment we only know, that CIRIS was deployed from Slingshot. Waiting for more information.
That’s great news!
What is your source for this information?
https://twitter.com/spaceflightinc/status/1223639806619475968
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Those all presage the deployment but I got this about CIRIS minutes ago:
Spacecraft was deployed. Wallops acquired RF, but no telemetry was demodulated. Commands were sent
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https://twitter.com/SpaceflightInc/status/1223694720037093376
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Argh!
Is SEOPS-2 the Slingshot on Cygnus-12?
None of the messages so far explicitly states that any particular cubesat was deployed from that system.
Do we have a consolidated list of which nanosats were in which of the two deployers on Cygnus-12?
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https://twitter.com/nasaexplores/status/1223773032101052416
The final two CubeSats have been deployed from Cygnus and are free-flying!
CIRiS (@USUAggies) deployed today at 10:44 AM ET and EdgeCube (@SSU_1961) deployed at 4:15 PM ET
The image below shows the CubeSats in the deployment dispenser prior to the Cygnus release.
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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/01/28/ultra-cold-science-cubesats-and-spaceship-departures-coming-up/
Meir then installed a different small satellite deployer, this one called SlingShot, on the Cygnus space freighter attached to the Unity module. The SlingShot, attached to Cygnus’ hatch, will release a variety of small satellites after the U.S. cargo craft departs the space station on Friday at 9:35 a.m. EST. The suite of eight CubeSats will study different optical and communication technologies as well as atmospheric and natural phenomena.
If this NASA statement is correct, then we can expect five more satellites to be deployed today.
Edit: But the image above shows only six satellites, so these number maybe incorrect.
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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/01/28/ultra-cold-science-cubesats-and-spaceship-departures-coming-up/ (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/01/28/ultra-cold-science-cubesats-and-spaceship-departures-coming-up/)
Meir then installed a different small satellite deployer, this one called SlingShot, on the Cygnus space freighter attached to the Unity module. The SlingShot, attached to Cygnus’ hatch, will release a variety of small satellites after the U.S. cargo craft departs the space station on Friday at 9:35 a.m. EST. The suite of eight CubeSats will study different optical and communication technologies as well as atmospheric and natural phenomena.
If this NASA statement is correct, then we can expect five more satellites to be deployed today.
Edit: But the image above shows only six satellites, so these number maybe incorrect.
The image above shows six 6 U deployers.
There could be pairs of 3U cubesats in two or one deployers with 3 cubesats totaling 6U or less.
CIRIS is 6U.
Anyone here know the sizes of the others?
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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/01/28/ultra-cold-science-cubesats-and-spaceship-departures-coming-up/ (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/01/28/ultra-cold-science-cubesats-and-spaceship-departures-coming-up/)
Meir then installed a different small satellite deployer, this one called SlingShot, on the Cygnus space freighter attached to the Unity module. The SlingShot, attached to Cygnus’ hatch, will release a variety of small satellites after the U.S. cargo craft departs the space station on Friday at 9:35 a.m. EST. The suite of eight CubeSats will study different optical and communication technologies as well as atmospheric and natural phenomena.
If this NASA statement is correct, then we can expect five more satellites to be deployed today.
Edit: But the image above shows only six satellites, so these number maybe incorrect.
The image above shows six 6 U deployers.
There could be pairs of 3U cubesats in two or one deployers with 3 cubesats totaling 6U or less.
CIRIS is 6U.
Anyone here know
the sizes of the others?
Looking at the patches on the deployers:
Row 1: VPM (6U), CIRIS (6U)
Row 2: Lynk, SORTIE (6U)
Row 3: Makersat (1U), MiniCarb (6U)
We didn't know MiniCarb had gone up but the sticker clearly is for it.
Lynk is the new name of UbiqutiLink, which previously had attached payloads but is planning deployed cubesats.
Looks like they have 6U worth, unclear if it might be 2 x 3U?
SORTIE: The AstraSpace sticker implies SORTIE, I think.
MakerSat: the NightHawks sticker implies NW Nazarene University and thus MakerSat. It's only 1U so there are probably
other small ones in there including EdgeSat.
The DARPA sticker might suggest that SORTIE is ORCA-2. I suspect ORCA is an overall DARPA sponsorship program like NASA's Elana
Except that SORTIE is a NASA mission (albeit AFRL also involved). So I'm confused.
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Looking at the patches on the deployers:
Row 1: VPM (6U), CIRIS (6U)
Row 2: Lynk, SORTIE (6U)
Row 3: Makersat (1U), MiniCarb (6U)
We didn't know MiniCarb had gone up but the sticker clearly is for it.
Lynk is the new name of UbiqutiLink, which previously had attached payloads but is planning deployed cubesats.
Looks like they have 6U worth, unclear if it might be 2 x 3U?
SORTIE: The AstraSpace sticker implies SORTIE, I think.
MakerSat: the NightHawks sticker implies NW Nazarene University and thus MakerSat. It's only 1U so there are probably
other small ones in there including EdgeSat.
The DARPA sticker might suggest that SORTIE is ORCA-2. I suspect ORCA is an overall DARPA sponsorship program like NASA's Elana
Except that SORTIE is a NASA mission (albeit AFRL also involved). So I'm confused.
MiniCarb was launched already on SpX-19 in December.
https://www.llnl.gov/news/lab-space-program-lifts-launch-satellite
Concerning SORTIE, it is not the first time a satellite selected for an ELaNa launch has been launched via an other sponsorship program.
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MiniCarb was launched already on SpX-19 in December.
All these satellites were launched on SpX-19.
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MiniCarb was launched already on SpX-19 in December.
All these satellites were launched on SpX-19.
Looking at the patches on the deployers:
Row 1: VPM (6U), CIRIS (6U)
Row 2: Lynk, SORTIE (6U)
Row 3: Makersat (1U), MiniCarb (6U)
We didn't know MiniCarb had gone up but the sticker clearly is for it.
Lynk is the new name of UbiqutiLink, which previously had attached payloads but is planning deployed cubesats.
Looks like they have 6U worth, unclear if it might be 2 x 3U?
SORTIE: The AstraSpace sticker implies SORTIE, I think.
MakerSat: the NightHawks sticker implies NW Nazarene University and thus MakerSat. It's only 1U so there are probably
other small ones in there including EdgeSat.
The DARPA sticker might suggest that SORTIE is ORCA-2. I suspect ORCA is an overall DARPA sponsorship program like NASA's Elana
Except that SORTIE is a NASA mission (albeit AFRL also involved). So I'm confused.
MiniCarb was launched already on SpX-19 in December.
https://www.miragenews.com/lab-space-program-lifts-off-with-launch-of-satellite/
Concerning SORTIE, it is not the first time a satellite selected for an ELaNa launch has been launched via an other sponsorship program.
OK, for MiniCarb I was basing off this guy Gunter's page :-) I see you've updated it.
The remaining SpX19 sats are CryoCube 3U, QARMAN 3U, AztechSat 1U. The 6U that MakerSat is in probably also has AztechSat and (until yesterday) EdgeCube, plus one 3U. Maybe the Lynk-branded 6U has one 3U Lynk and the remaining 3U?
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MiniCarb was launched already on SpX-19 in December.
All these satellites were launched on SpX-19.
Looking at the patches on the deployers:
Row 1: VPM (6U), CIRIS (6U)
Row 2: Lynk, SORTIE (6U)
Row 3: Makersat (1U), MiniCarb (6U)
We didn't know MiniCarb had gone up but the sticker clearly is for it.
Lynk is the new name of UbiqutiLink, which previously had attached payloads but is planning deployed cubesats.
Looks like they have 6U worth, unclear if it might be 2 x 3U?
SORTIE: The AstraSpace sticker implies SORTIE, I think.
MakerSat: the NightHawks sticker implies NW Nazarene University and thus MakerSat. It's only 1U so there are probably
other small ones in there including EdgeSat.
The DARPA sticker might suggest that SORTIE is ORCA-2. I suspect ORCA is an overall DARPA sponsorship program like NASA's Elana
Except that SORTIE is a NASA mission (albeit AFRL also involved). So I'm confused.
MiniCarb was launched already on SpX-19 in December.
https://www.miragenews.com/lab-space-program-lifts-off-with-launch-of-satellite/
Concerning SORTIE, it is not the first time a satellite selected for an ELaNa launch has been launched via an other sponsorship program.
OK, for MiniCarb I was basing off this guy Gunter's page :-) I see you've updated it.
The remaining SpX19 sats are CryoCube 3U, QARMAN 3U, AztechSat 1U. The 6U that MakerSat is in probably also has AztechSat and (until yesterday) EdgeCube, plus one 3U. Maybe the Lynk-branded 6U has one 3U Lynk and the remaining 3U?
Yeah, this Gunter guy has just today learned, that MiniCarb was already launched. ;-)
I do not think QARMAN is on Cygnus for deployment, as this sat is focused on reentry technology. A longer lived orbit is IMHO not desirable for QARMAN, so i expect a deployment from the ISS.
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I do not think QARMAN is on Cygnus for deployment, as this sat is focused on reentry technology. A longer lived orbit is IMHO not desirable for QARMAN, so i expect a deployment from the ISS.
Good point
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Cross post from ISS schedule
QARMAN, a nano-satellite designed and built at VKI, was launched to the International Space Station on December 5, 2019. Deployment is expected to take place in the week of February 12, 2020
Source: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/january/belgiums-qarman-cubesat-to-deploy-jan-20.htm
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http://nanoracks.com/cubesats-nematodes-blockchain-technology/
Part of Nanoracks 17th CubeSat deployment mission using the Company’s commercially operated satellite deployers were four CubeSats from a variety of customers. The CubeSats delivered in this mission included: SORTIE (Astra LLC), CryoCube (Sierra Lobo Incorporated/NASA), QARMAN (von Karman institute), and notably, AzTechSat-1, a collaborative program between NASA Ames and Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP) in Mexico.
So SORTIE, CryoCube, Qarman and AzTechSat-1 will not be deployed by Slingshot/SEOPS-2.
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Looking at the patches on the deployers:
Row 1: VPM (6U), CIRIS (6U)
Row 2: Lynk, SORTIE (6U)
Row 3: Makersat (1U), MiniCarb (6U)
Lynk is the new name of UbiqutiLink, which previously had attached payloads but is planning deployed cubesats.
Looks like they have 6U worth, unclear if it might be 2 x 3U?
After taking another closer look at the SEOP-2 image, I have recognized that the left payload in row 2 is labelled as "Slingshot Payload" and the other five as "Slingshot Deployer". So I assume, that the left one in row 2 is not scheduled to be deployed.
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http://nanoracks.com/cubesats-nematodes-blockchain-technology/
Part of Nanoracks 17th CubeSat deployment mission using the Company’s commercially operated satellite deployers were four CubeSats from a variety of customers. The CubeSats delivered in this mission included: SORTIE (Astra LLC), CryoCube (Sierra Lobo Incorporated/NASA), QARMAN (von Karman institute), and notably, AzTechSat-1, a collaborative program between NASA Ames and Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP) in Mexico.
So SORTIE, CryoCube, Qarman and AzTechSat-1 will not be deployed by Slingshot/SEOPS-2.
OK, that is a reasonable conclusion. Wonder what the Astra sticker is for then.
We might also expect some of SEOPS' own Quantum Radar satellites.
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Cygnus release photos from NASA Johnson flickr
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Nanoracks Deploys 250th Satellite, Eighth Cygnus Mission
February 3, 2020 – Dulles, VA – Friday evening, Nanoracks successfully completed the Company’s eighth CubeSat deployment mission from Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft. Cygnus (S.S. Alan Bean) departed the International Space Station on January 31, 2020 and performed a number of on-orbit activities, including yet another historic Nanoracks deployment.
Nanoracks' External Cygnus Deployment mission released seven CubeSats into a circular orbit of 465km beginning at approximately 4:00 pm ET/9:00 PM GMT. The CubeSats deployed were:
Aerocube 14 A/B & Aerocube 15 A/B (Aerospace Corporation),
SwampSat II (University of Florida),
Orbital Factory-2 (University of Texas, El Paso), and
HuskySat-1 (University of Washington).
Friday's operations also marked Nanoracks’ 250th small satellite deployed since 2014 across the Company's available deployment platforms, including the International Space Station, India’s Polar Space Vehicle (PSLV), and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus.
“Between standing up a new program on the Falcon 9 and maintaining our current offerings on Cygnus and the Space Station, we’ve been busy.” says Nanoracks External Payloads Program Manager, Henry Martin. “Deploying 250 satellites is a huge milestone for Nanoracks as we continue to be the world’s leading provider of commercial access to space. Since we pioneered this capability in 2016, this is our eighth mission in a row with Northrop Grumman, and our 46th CubeSat deployed from the Cygnus. It’s our job to provide consistent and reliable flight opportunities to our global customer base, and this American spacecraft is a key mechanism to accomplishing that. For many reasons, this program is near and dear to me, so congratulations to all of the satellite teams on this successful mission!”
Of note, HuskySat-1 and SwampSat II were selected for flight by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) and were launched in the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites-25A mission complement, supported by the NASA Launch Services Program.
The Nanoracks External Cygnus Program is the first program to have leveraged a commercial resupply vehicle for use beyond the primary cargo delivery to Space Station, demonstrating the future possibilities for the Nanoracks Space Outpost Program and other commercial space station activities.
“Thank you to our friends and partners at both NASA and Northrop Grumman for their continued support towards innovative commercial satellite deployment programs,” finishes Martin.
Read our press release online! (http://nanoracks.com/category/news/?utm_source=Nanoracks-+ALL&utm_campaign=860c6e471f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_02_03_02_40_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2dcb229f3d-860c6e471f-438532569)
Nanoracks Media Contact
Abby Dickes, [email protected]
My emphasis
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More information, less confusion on my part
AeroCube 14 A/B (https://aerospace.org/article/aerocube-14-takes-nanotechnology-experiments-space) is a pair of 3U cubesats.
AeroCube-14 consists of two identical 3-unit CubeSats that launched as part of the Northrop Grumman-12 Cygnus cargo mission to the International Space Station.
Manifested as AeroCube-14, the CubeSats are part of the National Reconnaissance Office’s IMPACT program, led by the Advanced Systems and Technology directorate. The program is a research and development effort to evaluate new technologies in space.
AeroCube-14’s experiments include nanotechnology payloads that will test new and emerging materials, including structural materials and thermal straps, in a space environment.
(snip)
AeroCube-14 will ultimately be delivered to its target orbit by the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer mounted on the external surface of the Cygnus spacecraft at an altitude of about 500 kilometers.
So these are from the "external" deployer not the internal-to-external Slingshot deployer, and the list does total seven cubesats.
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They made it.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/02/03/cygnus-departs-space-station-deploys-cubesats/
Seven CubeSats were also housed inside a Slingshot deployment mechanism on the Cygnus spacecraft’s forward hatch. Supplied by Hypergiant SEOPS, the Slingshot was expected to release seven small CubeSats, according to Kristina Libby, an executive vice president at Hypergiant.
One of the CubeSats deployed from the Slingshot mechanism was CIRiS, which stands for the Compact Radiometer in Space.
The EdgeCube nanosatellite — a 4-inch-wide (10-centimeter) 1-unit CubeSat — also separated from the Cygnus spacecraft’s Slingshot deployer.
Other CubeSats deployed from the from the Slingshot mechanism were MiniCarb for NASA and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Very Low Frequency Propagation Mapper for the Air Force Research Laboratory.
A tiny satellite named MakerSat 1 developed by students at Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho was also packed in the Slingshot deployer. MakeSat 1 was designed to be quickly snap-assembled by astronauts on the space station, then loaded into its deployment slot.
A CubeSat for DARPA, the U.S. military’s research and development arm, was also deployed from the Slingshot device.
The Slingshot also carried a payload for Lynk — formerly known as Ubiquitilink — a Virginia-based with ambitions to launch a constellation of tiny satellites to extend the reach of terrestrial cell phone networks.
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Exact deployment times for AeroCube 15A/15B (PST)
https://www.losangeles.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2074745/smc-mission-partners-successfully-deploy-aerospace-rogue-cubesats-from-iss/
The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center and its mission partners successfully deployed Aerospace’s Rogue Alpha and Rogue Beta CubeSats from the Northrop Grumman Cygnus capsule at 1 p.m. and 4:10 p.m. respectively, Jan. 31, 2020.
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https://mailchi.mp/nanoracks/nanoracks-completes-17th-commercial-iss-cubesat-deployment-mission-2591579?e=e25b2da549
FEBRUARY 19, 2020 – Webster, TX – Nanoracks, the world’s leading provider of commercial access to space, has completed the Company’s 17th CubeSat deployment mission from the International Space Station using commercially developed and operated hardware. Nanoracks was the first company to offer commercial hardware and services for small satellite deployment in low-Earth orbit.
“The diversity of users on each CubeSat mission is growing with every flight,” says Nanoracks Senior External Payloads Mission Manager, Tristan Prejean. “Our 17th CubeSat mission has satellites built by university students, international space agencies and research institutes, commercial companies reaching the ISS for the first time, and by our friends at NASA. Commercial access to low-Earth orbit is enabling an unprecedented cohort of users from around the world to make discoveries in space – and we are watching this grow year by year.”
The satellites released on February 19, 2020 and their deployment times were:
RadSat-u (Montana State University) - 07:10:01 GMT
Phoenix (Arizona State University) – 09:35:00 GMT
QARMAN (von Karman institute) – 11:20:00 GMT
CryoCube (Sierra Lobo Incorporated/NASA Kennedy) and AzTechSat-1 (Collaborative program between NASA Ames and Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla [UPAEP] in Mexico) – 12:55:01 GMT
SOCRATES (University of Minnesota) -- 14:30:00 GMT
HARP (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) and ARGUS-02 (Saint Louis University) -- 16:00:00 GMT
SORTIE (Astra LLC) -- 17:40:00 GMT
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Apparently, NG-12 did not re-enter last night.
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0378-EX-ST-2020 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=98774&RequestTimeout=1000)
Orbital Sciences Corporation requests modification of Special Condition (12) on STA WO9XDR, 1465-EX-ST-2019, to allow for operation for an additional 31 days, through April 2, 2020. The conditions stated in the Exhibit are accepted by the licensee. ... The additional time in orbit will be in direct support of the SEOPS LLC Lynk Payload.
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Northrop Grumman has set a new date/time for de-orbit: Mar 17, ~23:00 UTC
https://twitter.com/Zarya_Info/status/1235930148786130944?
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I am surprised that no one was wondering about that Lynk payload, and the extension of the NG-12 just for Lynk.
Some news will be available in a couple of days.
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They made it.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/02/03/cygnus-departs-space-station-deploys-cubesats/
Seven CubeSats were also housed inside a Slingshot deployment mechanism on the Cygnus spacecraft’s forward hatch. Supplied by Hypergiant SEOPS, the Slingshot was expected to release seven small CubeSats, according to Kristina Libby, an executive vice president at Hypergiant.
One of the CubeSats deployed from the Slingshot mechanism was CIRiS, which stands for the Compact Radiometer in Space.
The EdgeCube nanosatellite — a 4-inch-wide (10-centimeter) 1-unit CubeSat — also separated from the Cygnus spacecraft’s Slingshot deployer.
Other CubeSats deployed from the from the Slingshot mechanism were MiniCarb for NASA and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Very Low Frequency Propagation Mapper for the Air Force Research Laboratory.
A tiny satellite named MakerSat 1 developed by students at Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho was also packed in the Slingshot deployer. MakeSat 1 was designed to be quickly snap-assembled by astronauts on the space station, then loaded into its deployment slot.
A CubeSat for DARPA, the U.S. military’s research and development arm, was also deployed from the Slingshot device.
The Slingshot also carried a payload for Lynk — formerly known as Ubiquitilink — a Virginia-based with ambitions to launch a constellation of tiny satellites to extend the reach of terrestrial cell phone networks.
This is still puzzling, since it now seems that the Lynk payload remains attached to Cygnus and is not one of the seven ejected cubesats. Seven objects are being
tracked. But only 6 are listed here, not counting the 'payload for Lynk'.
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https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/18/21184126/lynk-mega-constellation-text-message-android-smartphone-cell-towers-space
Lynk has connected a terrestrial cell phone to its cell tower in space.
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Space-Track confirmes that the Cygnus NG-12 cargo ship S.S. Alan Bean has been deorbited. This was expected for about 2300 UTC Mar 17, but @northropgrumman hasn't released any details as far as I can tell.
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1240330276091428872
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https://twitter.com/thefavoritist/status/1282357988263636993
Ignition. Just as the RD-181 begins to roar, Antares shakes off its coating of ice in the warm dawn light.
I've been sitting on this frame since NG-12 launched but could never figure out a good edit. Finally took another crack at it today!
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Obj. 45126 ORCA-8 decay prediction: August 10, 2022 UTC 08h20mn ± 36h..
https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1555109379996786689
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Update: obj. 45126 ORCA-8 decay prediction: August 09, 2022 UTC 09h38mn ± 21h
https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1555827344497049601
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Update: obj. 45126 ORCA-8 decay prediction: August 08, 2022 UTC 21h29mn ± 5h
https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1556560069491412992
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Deployed from the @Space_Station in 2020, the HARP CubeSat has now deorbited. It spent 777 days in space, testing technologies to help us learn more about Earth phenomena like air pollution and climate change.
https://twitter.com/ISS_Research/status/1572608353263849473
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Obj. 45120 VPM decay prediction: September 29, 2022 UTC 10h46mn ± 31h
https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1573594566258823169
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Obj. 45043 STPSAT-4 decay prediction: October 05, 2022 UTC 13h31mn ± 30h
https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1575967765944733696
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Update: obj. 45043 STPSAT-4 decay prediction: October 04, 2022 UTC 09h32mn ± 20h
https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1576483019590086656
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Update: obj. 45043 STPSAT-4 decay prediction: October 04, 2022 UTC 05h36mn ± 5h
https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1576971870858924040
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Obj. 45124 OBJECT P decay prediction: October 26, 2022 UTC 10h27mn ± 25h
https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1583788671215448066