![]() The PCM is manufactured by Thales Alenia Space in Turin, ( Italy). The Cygnus spacecraft consists of two basic components: the Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) and the Service Module (SM). Design A scale drawing of the Standard (left) and Enhanced (right) Cygnus. However, lessons learned on packing and the extra capabilities of the Atlas allowed payload to be increased to 3,500 kg (7,700 lb). While it was planned from the beginning to fly on the fifth mission, the Orb CRS-3 failure and subsequent move to Atlas V meant a delay. With the December 2015 launch of Orb CRS-4 on Atlas V, the enhanced version of Cygnus made its debut. ![]() Its arrival was delayed, first by the need to repair the station, and then by frigid weather at the launch site and solar flares that forced postponements. On 12 January 2014, the first scheduled Cygnus resupply mission arrived at the space station the capsule carried Christmas presents and fresh fruit for the astronauts. The Cygnus demonstration mission was successfully launched on 18 September 2013.Launched on an Antares (renamed from Taurus II) medium-class launch vehicle or Atlas V, the first Cygnus flight was originally planned to occur in December 2010. īy April 2010, Orbital had displayed a full-scale model of the Cygnus cargo delivery spacecraft at the National Space Symposium (NSS) in Colorado Springs, CO. Under this contract, Orbital Sciences agreed to deliver up to 20 tons of cargo to the ISS through 2016 in eight Cygnus spacecraft flights. ![]() On 23 December 2008, NASA awarded Orbital Sciences a $1.9 billion contract under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program. On 19 February 2008, NASA announced that it had chosen Orbital Sciences as the new winner. With Rocketplane Kistler unable to meet funding obligations for its K-1 launch vehicle under the terms of the COTS agreement, NASA decided on 18 October 2007 to terminate its contract with Rocketplane Kistler and re-award its contract after a competition. Ĭygnus is the Latinized Greek word for swan and a northern constellation.ĭevelopment The NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (third from left) in front of the Cygnus spacecraft in May 2012. With the Cygnus spacecraft and the SpaceX Dragon, NASA seeks to increase its partnerships with domestic commercial aviation and aeronautics industry. Since August 2000, ISS resupply missions have been regularly flown by the Russian Progress spacecraft, as well as by the European Automated Transfer Vehicle, and the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle. It transports supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) following the retirement of the American Space Shuttle. ![]() It is usually launched by Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket, although three flights were on ULA's Atlas V and three are planned for SpaceX's Falcon 9.
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