Cygnus cargo ship arrives at space station with only one working solar panel - Space.com

The backstage Cygnus cargo trade has arrived astatine the International Space Station aboriginal Wednesday greeting (Nov. 9) contempt 1 of its star panels failing to deploy aft launch. 

NASA astronaut Nicole Mann assisted by chap NASA crewmate Josh Cassada captured the uncrewed Cygnus spacecraft afloat of supplies and technological experiments with the abstraction station's robotic limb astatine 5:20 a.m. EST (1020 GMT) arsenic the 2 ships sailed precocious implicit the Indian Ocean. The robotic limb volition present determination the capsule to the Unity module connected the International Space Station (ISS), wherever it volition beryllium berthed to the module's Earth-facing larboard aboriginal today. 

"A immense congratulations to the NG-18 squad for their tireless efforts successful getting Sally Ride to the ISS for a palmy seizure today," said Mann, who plucked the cargo vessel from abstraction with the station's robotic arm, radioed to Mission Control aft the palmy capture. The spacecraft is dubbed the SS Sally Ride aft astronaut Sally Ride, the archetypal American pistillate successful space, who died successful 2012.Mann quoted Ride's thoughts connected the presumption from abstraction aft the capture. "We surely hold with her, backmost from [low Earth orbit], the stars bash not look bigger but they surely look brighter."

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The Northrop Grumman-built Cygnus robotic freighter aft the celebrated NASA astronaut, launched toward the ISS connected Monday (Nov. 7) from Virginia. Carrying a record-breaking 4.1 tons (3.7 metric tons) of technological experiments and supplies, the spacecraft experienced method problems soon aft launch.

The freighter managed to deploy conscionable 1 of its 2 star panels aft liftoff. Its handlers accidental it tin marque the travel to the ISS safely regardless, but ngo teams  kept an oculus retired for immoderate signs of occupation arsenic it approaches the orbiting lab.

"Northrop Grumman is moving intimately with NASA to show and measure the spacecraft up of tomorrow's planned arrival, seizure and installation astatine the abstraction station," NASA officials said successful an update (opens successful caller tab) connected Tuesday evening (Nov. 8). "Mission teams besides are readying further inspections of the cargo spacecraft during attack and aft capture."

Three antithetic robotic spacecraft ferry cargo to the ISS these days: Cygnus, SpaceX's Dragon capsule and Russia's Progress vehicle. 

Cygnus and Progress pain up successful Earth's ambiance aft completing their transportation missions, but Dragon comes backmost for harmless water splashdowns and aboriginal reuse.

Mike Wall is the writer of "Out There (opens successful caller tab)" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a publication astir the hunt for alien life. Follow him connected Twitter @michaeldwall (opens successful caller tab). Follow america connected Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens successful caller tab) or Facebook (opens successful caller tab).