A record supply load won’t reach the International Space Station as scheduled

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL spacecraft has encountered a setback, preventing it from delivering 11,000 pounds of supplies and experiments to the International Space Station (ISS) as originally planned for Wednesday. In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, NASA indicated that ground teams are currently exploring alternative plans that may still allow the Cygnus spacecraft to reach the ISS, albeit later than scheduled. The complications arose early Tuesday when the spacecraft's main engine unexpectedly shut down during two critical burns intended to elevate its orbit for a rendezvous with the ISS. While NASA did not provide extensive details regarding the engine malfunction, they confirmed that all other systems on the Cygnus XL are functioning properly. The agency is currently evaluating a new arrival date and time for the spacecraft at the space station. Launched on Sunday at 6:11 PM ET aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the Cygnus XL was expected to arrive at the ISS early Wednesday. Unlike SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which autonomously dock with the station, the Cygnus requires capture by the Canadian-built robotic arm operated by NASA astronaut Jonny Kim. As the spacecraft approached within 30 feet of the ISS, Kim was prepared to use the arm to secure it for attachment to the Unity module, where it would remain for up to six months. This mission marks Northrop Grumman's 22nd cargo delivery under a significant multi-billion-dollar resupply contract with NASA, with only one previous mission not successfully reaching the station. The urgency of this mission has increased following the discovery of damage to another Cygnus spacecraft that was scheduled to launch earlier this year.