SpaceX launches supplies to International Space Station ahead of Debby's landfall
SpaceX, NASA and Northrup Grumman launched supplies to the International Space Station. Liftoff still happened even though launch weather was less than ideal as Tropical Debby moves closer to Florida.
SpaceX launches Cygnus cargo ship to space station with NASA supplies
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft on Sunday from Florida carrying more than 8,000 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station. About 8 minutes after launch, the Falcon 9 first stage came back for landing at Cape Canaveral.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A Northrop Grumman spacecraft launched from Florida on Sunday, sending supplies, groceries and science to the astronauts living on the International Space Station.
The launch attempt was the second of the weekend after Saturday's countdown was halted due to thunderstorms being too close to the launchpad. Still, liftoff happened ahead of Tropical Storm Debby's anticipated landfall on Florida's west coast expected on Monday.
The Cygnus spacecraft, packed with nearly 8,200 pounds of cargo, launched on SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 11:02 a.m. ET from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Despite less-than-ideal launch weather, the rocket blasted off into the cloudy sky above Florida, and about 8 minutes later, the rocket booster returned to land at Cape Canaveral.
This marks Northrop Grumman's second ISS resupply mission for NASA this year and the second to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Cygnus cargo supply vehicle was previously launched on Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket, but due to the ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine, the company has been unable to source its Ukrainian and Russian hardware for the vehicle.
Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft is attached to the Canadarm2 robotic arm about to be released into Earth orbit ending a five-and-a-half month cargo mission berthed to the International Space Station's Unity module.
(NASA)
Northrop announced in 2023 that it is working with Firefly Aerospace to create a new version of the Antares rocket using American-made engines and other hardware.
Some of the science on this mission includes biomedical research studying liver tissue and two university-designed CubeSats that will deploy from the ISS from Iowa and Arizona.
Launch forecast complicated by Tropical Storm Debby
SpaceX's Falcon 9 was able to launch ahead of the greatest impacts from Tropical Storm Debby.
Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center continue to monitor Debby in the Gulf of Mexico, which is forecast to make landfall along Florida's Big Bend on Monday as a hurricane.
Impacts from Tropical Storm Debby being felt along Florida coast
Tropical Storm Debby is already dumping heavy rain and producing rough seas along the Gulf Coast of Florida as it moves closer to landfall Monday.
After the launch, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick will use the station's robotic arm to capture Cygnus, with NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps as backup.
Cygnus will remain at the ISS until early next year before it departs with trash from the station and burns up in Earth’s atmosphere.