NASA is assessing the condition of a Cygnus spacecraft that’s only managed to deploy one of its two solar arrays as it heads to the ISS on a supply mission.
In a rare turn of events for what is usually such a reliable vehicle, NASA is currently assessing the condition of a Cygnus spacecraft that’s only managed to deploy one of its two solar arrays as it heads to the International Space Station on a supply mission.
Following a launch delay due to a fire alarm at the control center, the Cygnus NG-18 spacecraft launched aboard an Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia early on Monday morning. It’s not currently clear why the second solar array failed to deploy in the usual way. Engineers on the ground are trying to work out if the deployment can still be safely executed, though if it can’t, Northrop Grumman believes docking the spacecraft with the ISS will still be possible. NASA, however, is concerned that the condition of the spacecraft could cause an issue at the point of docking, potentially creating further problems for the Cygnus or even the space station itself.
It continued: “Northrop Grumman is gathering data on the second array deployment and is working closely with NASA. Northrop Grumman has reported to NASA that Cygnus has sufficient power to rendezvous with the ISS on Wednesday, November 9, to complete its primary mission, and NASA is assessing this and the configuration required for capture and berthing.”
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