Back Cygnus AN سيغنوس (مركبة فضائية) Arabic Сигнъс Bulgarian Cygnus (nau espacial) Catalan Cygnus (kosmická loď) Czech Cygnus (Raumtransporter) German Cygnus (nave espacial) Spanish Cygnus (kosmoselaev) Estonian فضاپیمای سیگنوس Persian Cygnus (avaruusalus) Finnish
&sq=Albert Einstein&lang=en&file=File:Cygnus_Enhanced_spacecraft.jpg) Enhanced Cygnus spacecraft approaching the International Space Station for the NG-12 mission | |
| Manufacturer |
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|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Operator |
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| Applications | ISS logistics |
| Specifications | |
| Spacecraft type | Uncrewed cargo vehicle |
| Dry mass | Standard: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) Enhanced: 1,800 kg (4,000 lb)[2] |
| Payload capacity | Standard: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) Enhanced: 3,500 kg (7,700 lb)[2] Mission B: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)[3] |
| Volume | Standard: 18.9 m3 (670 cu ft) Enhanced: 27 m3 (950 cu ft)[2] Mission B: 36 m3 (1,300 cu ft)[4] |
| Power | 3.5 kW |
| Design life | 1 week to 2 years[1] |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | Standard: 5.14 m (16.9 ft) Enhanced: 6.39 m (21.0 ft)[2] Mission B: 7.89 m (25.9 ft)[3] |
| Diameter | 3.07 m (10.1 ft)[2] |
| Production | |
| Status | In service |
| On order | 5 |
| Built | 21 |
| Launched | 20 |
| Operational | 1 |
| Retired | 18 |
| Lost | 1 |
| Maiden launch | 18 September 2013 |
| Last launch | 30 January 2024 |
| Part of a series on |
| Private spaceflight |
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&sq=Albert Einstein&lang=en&file=File:NASA%E2%80%99s_SLS_and_SpaceX%E2%80%99s_Falcon_9_at_Launch_Complex_39A_%26_39B_(NHQ202204060001).jpg) |
| Active companies |
| Active vehicles |
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| Related |
Cygnus is an expendable American cargo spacecraft used for International Space Station (ISS) logistics missions. Cygnus was developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation, partially funded by NASA under the agency's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. To create Cygnus, Orbital paired the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, built by Thales Alenia Space and previously used by the Space Shuttle for ISS logistics, with a service module based on Orbital's GEOStar, a satellite bus. After a successful demonstration flight in 2013, Orbital was chosen to receive a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract. A larger Enhanced Cygnus was introduced in 2015. Orbital Sciences was renamed Orbital ATK in 2015 and Northrop Grumman purchased Orbital in 2018 and has continued to operate Cygnus missions.
Cygnus is typically launched using it's parent company's Antares rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virgina, however it is able to fly on other launch vehicles. After the failure of an Antares rocket destroyed Cygnus CRS Flight 3 and damaged the Wallops facility, two Cygnus missions were launched with Atlas V rockets in 2015 and 2016. Additionally, three Cygnus missions are expected to be launched on the Falcon 9 rocket in 2024 and 2025, operated by CRS competor SpaceX.
In addition to Cygnus, ISS logistics missions have been regularly flown by the Russian Progress spacecraft, the European Automated Transfer Vehicle, the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle and the American SpaceX Dragon.
Cygnus is the Latinized Greek word for swan and a northern constellation.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
faa-accst2012was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d e Blau, Patrick. "Cygnus". Spaceflight101. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
mission-bwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-05-14). "Thales Alenia Space Delivers Pressurized Module for 21st Cygnus Spacecraft". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2024-06-20.