SpaceX, NASA, Northrop Grumman to launch 20th resupply mission on January 29, 2024 (update)

NASA, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX planned to launch a new resupply mission on Monday, January 29 at 12:29 p.m. EST to deliver cargo to the International Space Station for the agency and its partners.

SpaceX will liftoff the reusable Falcon 9 rocket with Cygnus cargo spacecraft carrying a payload of 8,200 pounds of supplies, scientific investigations, and equipment for the space station. The launch will happen from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The payload consists of cargo supporting research on the space station including a first surgical robot, orbit re-entry platform, 3D cartilage cell culture, the MSTIC facility, and a metal 3D printer.

SpaceX Cygnus Spacecraft pictured from space (Source – NASA)

Following its launch, the spacecraft will reach the space station on Wednesday, January 31. The Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the space station until May when it will come back to Earth.

This 20th Northrop Grumman commercial resupply services mission will be live-streamed online starting 12:15 p.m. on NASA+, NASA Television, and the NASA app. The liftoff would also be covered on SpaceX’s official website and X social media platform.

On January 31, NASA will begin the coverage of rendezvous, and capture will begin at 2 a.m., it will be followed by installation coverage at 5 a.m. when NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will capture Cygnus using the station’s robotic arm.

Update: January 27, 2024:

NASA has published a rescheduled mission date for January 30, 2024, at 12:07 p.m. ET.

🚀Update: Launch will be no earlier than Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 12:07 p.m. ET (1707 UTC). https://t.co/pPHElvzaxo

— NASA (@NASA) January 27, 2024

(source – NASA)