&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Cygnus_Enhanced_spacecraft.jpg) Enhanced Cygnus spacecraft approaching the International Space Station for the NG-12 mission | |
| Manufacturer |
|
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Operator |
|
| Applications | ISS resupply |
| Specifications | |
| Spacecraft type | Cargo |
| Bus | Star Bus |
| Dry mass | Standard: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) Enhanced: 1,800 kg (4,000 lb)[2] |
| Payload capacity | Standard: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) Enhanced: 3,500 kg (7,700 lb)[2] Mission B: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)[3] |
| Volume | Standard: 18.9 m3 (670 cu ft) Enhanced: 27 m3 (950 cu ft)[2] Mission B: 36 m3 (1,300 cu ft)[4] |
| Power | 3.5 kW |
| Design life | 1 week to 2 years[1] |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | Standard: 5.14 m (16.9 ft) Enhanced: 6.39 m (21.0 ft)[2] Mission B: 7.89 m (25.9 ft)[3] |
| Diameter | 3.07 m (10.1 ft)[2] |
| Production | |
| Status | In service |
| On order | 4 |
| Built | 22 |
| Launched | 22 |
| Operational | 1 (NG-21) |
| Retired | 20 |
| Lost | 1 (Orb-3) |
| Maiden launch | 18 September 2013 |
| Last launch | 4 August 2024 |
| Related spacecraft | |
| Launch vehicle | Antares |
| Part of a series on |
| Private spaceflight |
|---|
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| Active companies |
| Active vehicles |
| Contracts and programs |
| Related |
Cygnus is an expendable American automated cargo spacecraft designed for International Space Station (ISS) resupply missions. Initially developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation with financial support from NASA under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. To create Cygnus, Orbital paired a pressurized cargo module, largely based on the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, built by Thales Alenia Space and previously used by the Space Shuttle for ISS resupply, with a service module based on Orbital's GEOStar, a satellite bus. After a successful demonstration flight in 2013, Orbital was chosen to receive a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract. A larger Enhanced Cygnus was introduced in 2015. Orbital Sciences was renamed Orbital ATK in 2015 and Northrop Grumman purchased Orbital in 2018 and has continued to operate Cygnus missions. A further enlarged Mission B Cygnus is expected to be introduced in 2025.
Cygnus is typically launched using its parent company's Antares rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virgina, however it is able to fly on other launch vehicles. After the failure of an Antares rocket destroyed Cygnus CRS Flight 3 and damaged the Wallops facility, two Cygnus missions were launched with Atlas V rockets in 2015 and 2016. Additionally, three Cygnus missions are expected to be launched on the Falcon 9 rocket in 2024 and 2025, operated by CRS competitor SpaceX.
In addition to Cygnus, ISS resupply missions have been flown by the Russian Progress spacecraft, the European Automated Transfer Vehicle, the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle and the American SpaceX Dragon.
Cygnus is the Greek word for swan and the name of a constellation.
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mission-bwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-05-14). "Thales Alenia Space Delivers Pressurized Module for 21st Cygnus Spacecraft". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2024-06-20.