Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL launches to International Space Station on cargo resupply mission

Northrop Grumman Corporation's first Cygnus XL spacecraft successfully launched to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in support of NASA's commercial resupply missions.

NG-23 marks the inaugural flight of the Cygnus XL spacecraft, an expanded version of Northrop Grumman's vehicle, with 33% more cargo capacity than the previous variant. NG-23 is carrying over 11,000 pounds of equipment, science experiments and supplies to the crew aboard the space station.

Since its first flight in 2013, Cygnus has delivered more than 71,000 kg (approximately 148,000 pounds) of cargo to the International Space Station.

"Our Cygnus XL is another step towards a thriving commercial space economy, said Ryan Tintner, Vice President, Civil Space Systems, Northrop Grumman. "The spacecraft carries more cargo, making each mission more efficient. We've supported NASA and the space station for decades, and we know what it takes to develop advanced capabilities for exploring space."

VIDEO: The Cygnus Lifecycle

Northrop Grumman names each Cygnus spacecraft in honor of an individual who has made great contributions to human spaceflight. For NG-23, Cygnus XL is named for William "Willie" McCool, a NASA astronaut and naval aviator. After completing his flight training in 1986, Willie's long U.S. Navy career included test and operational deployments, totaling over 2,800 flight hours. Willie was the pilot of the STS-107 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003 and perished during the Columbia accident.

Since 2022, Cygnus has provided reboost services to help the station maintain its orbit, with the opportunity for more during this mission based on NASA's needs. Cygnus XL incorporates several Northrop Grumman-manufactured components, such as avionics and power modules, harness assemblies, UltraFlex solar arrays, spacecraft structures, propulsion tanks and loop heat pipe radiators for temperature control.

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