Posted on 02/20/2022 12:30:11 PM PST by BenLurkin
The Cygnus spacecraft, which was launched on an Antares rocket, is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 4:35 a.m. on Monday, February 21. NASA Television, the NASA app, and agency’s website will provide live coverage of the spacecraft’s approach and arrival beginning at 3 a.m.
The spacecraft will then be installed on the Earth-facing port of the station’s Unity module.
This is Northrop Grumman’s 17th contracted resupply mission under the second Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. The delivery includes critical materials to support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations occurring during NASA’s Expedition 66 mission aboard the space station.
The scientific investigations Cygnus is carrying include:
Plants in space Current systems for growing plants in space use soil or a growth medium. These systems are small and do not scale well in a space environment due to mass, containment, maintenance, and sanitation issues. To address these issues, eXposed Root On-Orbit Test System (XROOTS) will use water- and air-based methods instead, reducing overall system mass. Results could provide insight into the development of larger-scale systems to grow food crops for future space exploration and habitats. Components of the system could also enhance plant cultivation in greenhouses on Earth and contribute to better food security.
Improving fire safety Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (SoFIE) will enable studies of the flammability of materials and ignition of fires in realistic atmospheric conditions. This facility uses the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR), which allows for testing at different oxygen concentrations and pressures that represent current and planned space exploration missions. Gravity influences flames on Earth, but in microgravity, fire acts differently and can behave in unexpected ways aboard the space station. Some evidence suggests that fires may be more hazardous in reduced gravity.
(Excerpt) Read more at scitechdaily.com ...
Cool! Good ol’ Grumman.
Grumman bought the company that built this, which was Orbital ATK.
Thanks. Lots of admiration for Grumman going back to the Apollo days. Such a grand time!
Grumman of Apollo era was a good company. By the time they merged with Northrop, not so much. Orbital ATK acquisition was a major infusion of talent into NG.
Spacex has a starlink mission tomorrow, 9:30 EST. Those are great to watch. Especially when they have the boost-back and return-to-base landings.
CC
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