Suggested Searches

Blogs

  • NASA, Northrop Grumman “Go” to Proceed with Cygnus XL Station Arrival

    NASA and Northrop Grumman are targeting the safe arrival of the company’s Cygnus XL at approximately 7:18 a.m. EDT Thursday, Sept. 18, to the International Space Station.  The Cygnus XL now will conduct a series of burns to bring the spacecraft to the space station for its robotic capture and installation. NASA astronaut Jonny Kim […]

  • NASA, Northrop Grumman Assessing Cygnus XL Engine Burn Plan

    Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo craft, with its prominent cymbal-shaped UltraFlex solar arrays, is pictured in the grips of the Canadarm2 robotic arm shortly after its capture on Aug. 6, 2024.

    NASA and Northrop Grumman are delaying the arrival of the Cygnus XL to the International Space Station as flight controllers evaluate an alternate burn plan for the resupply spacecraft. The Cygnus XL will not arrive to the space station on Wednesday, Sept. 17, as originally planned, with a new arrival date and time under review.

  • New Mexico Scientific Balloon Campaign Update – Sept. 15

    The Electron Losses driven by VLF EmissionS (ELVES) mission launched at 10:04 a.m. EDT (8:04 a.m. MDT) on Sept. 15, 2025. The balloon and payload reached a float altitude of 125,000 feet and flew for 8 hours, 12 minutes. The experiment includes multiple detection methods for both Very Low Frequency (VLF) emissions and electron precipitation, including magnetometers, x-ray detectors, and cosmic noise absorption measurements, advancing our understanding of radiation belt dynamics and ionospheric interactions.

    To follow the missions in the 2025 Fort Sumner campaign, visit NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility website for real-time updates of balloons’ altitudes and locations during flight.

    A large scientific balloon being inflated with helium during launch preparations, with ground crew and support vehicles visible below against a clear blue sky
    UCLA's ELVES (Electron Losses driven by VLF Emissions) scientific balloon during inflation on September 15, 2025, at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The balloon carried instruments to study electron precipitation in the upper atmosphere.
    NASA/ Patrick Rogers

  • New Mexico Scientific Balloon Campaign Update – Sept. 14

    NASA launched two scientific balloon missions from the agency’s Fort Sumner, New Mexico, launch facility Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. This marks the first time two scientific balloons were launched on the same day since 2011.

    The JPL-Remote mission launched at 10:12 a.m. EDT (8:12 a.m. MDT) Sept. 14, 2025. The balloon and payload reached a float altitude of 127,000 feet and flew for 12 hours, 58 minutes. The mission’s main goal is to measure how different gases are layered in Earth’s atmosphere to check satellite data and track long-term changes since 1989.

    The Cosmic Dust Collection Project (CDCP) mission launched at 12:10 p.m. EDT (10:10 a.m. MDT). The balloon and payload reached a float altitude of 125,000 feet and flew for 8 hours, 36 minutes. The mission’s aimed to capture cosmic dust at different altitudes in Earth’s atmosphere to study how much of this dust has contaminated the stratosphere.

    To follow the missions in the 2025 Fort Sumner campaign, visit NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility website for real-time updates of balloons’ altitudes and locations during flight.

    A NASA scientific balloon inflating behind a white truck during launch operations, with the balloon glowing in the sunlight against a cloudy sky.
    Launch preparations for the JPL-REMOTE payload showing the scientific balloon during inflation phase. The balloon rises behind the launch support truck as part of standard balloon mission operations.
    NASA

  • Solar Arrays Deploy as Cygnus XL Orbits Toward Station

    Northrop Grumman's Cygnus cargo craft, carrying 8,200 pounds of science and supplies, approaches the International Space Station for a capture with the Canadarm2 robotic arm commanded by Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick of NASA. The maneuver marked the 50th free-flying capture for the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

    Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft deployed its two solar arrays after launching earlier Sunday at 6:11 p.m. EDT on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to the International Space Station. 

  • Cygnus XL Cargo Craft Counts Down to Launch on NASA+

    Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024.

    NASA’s coverage is underway on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more for the launch of Northrop Grumman’s Commercial Resupply Services 23, or Northrop Grumman CRS-23, to the International Space Station. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.