Cygnus Enhanced

Active Cargo Cargo Resupply Payload Capacity: 3750 kg Diameter: 3.07 m Height: 6.3 m

()

Dec. 6, 2015

Cargo Earth Orbit Logistics

Flight Life

1 week to 2 years design life.

Description

The Cygnus spacecraft is launched aboard Antares, Atlas V, or Falcon 9 to deliver cargo to the ISS under NASAs CRS contracts. It has no heatshield so at the end of its mission its used to dispose of waste by burning up in the Earths atmosphere.

History

Cygnus is a spacecraft developed originally by Orbital ATK and then acquired by Northrup Grumman after an acquisition. It is used to transport cargo to the ISS. The first operational mission of Cygnus to the ISS was in September 2013. One flight on 28 October 2014 ended in a failure when the Antares launch vehicle, used to launch the Cygnus, exploded shortly after launch. This set back the Cygnus launch schedule over a year. Following the launch anomaly a new version known as 'Cygnus Enhanced' was flown. This extended the Cygnus length and allowed it to carry an extra 700kg to the ISS.



Firefly Alpha
Failure
2 days, 10 hours ago
FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)
Space Launch Complex 2W - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Sixth flight of the Firefly Alpha small satellite launcher, launching the demonstration mission for Lockheed Martin's new LM400 satellite bus, which …


Vega-C
Success
2 days, 15 hours ago
Biomass
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV) - Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Biomass is an European Space Agency mission designed to measure the density of carbon stored in the world's forests. The spacecraft, built by Airbus …


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 21 hours ago
Starlink Group 12-10
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Atlas V 551
Success
3 days, 1 hour ago
Project Kuiper (KA-01)
Space Launch Complex 41 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Project Kuiper is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, this constellation will be managed…


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 3 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-9
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 5B/YZ-2
Success
3 days, 4 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 03
101 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 10 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group…


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 22 hours ago
Starlink Group 12-23
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 3
Success
4 days, 8 hours ago
Tianlian 2-05
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Tianlian is a Chinese data tracking and relay communications geostationary satellite series. The TL 2 (Tian Lian 2) satellites represent the second g…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 22 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-74
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2
Success
1 week ago
Shenzhou 20
Launch Area 4 (SLS-1 / 921) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Ninth crewed flight to the Chinese space station.