NASA has opened media accreditation for the Northrop Grumman CRS-25 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for no earlier than 10:49 a.m. EST on Sunday, November 29, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
A Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL spacecraft will launch to the orbital laboratory on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for NASA. The mission is known as NASA's Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 25, or CRS-25. It is the company's 25th spacecraft built to deliver supplies to the International Space Station under contract with NASA.
Following launch, astronauts aboard the space station will use the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Cygnus and install the spacecraft to the Unity module's Earth-facing port for cargo unloading. The spacecraft will remain at the space station until May 2027.
In addition to food, supplies and equipment for the crew, Cygnus will deliver several new experiments, including hardware to manufacture tiny, DNA-inspired particles in space that could improve drug delivery for cancer and osteoarthritis, as well as a study that could guide cancer treatments by predicting whether a patient's cancer is likely to spread to other parts of the body.
Cygnus also will carry human muscle cells and medications to test therapeutics for muscle loss associated with spaceflight and aging on Earth, and a compact radiation sensor designed to improve crew safety on future missions. Each resupply mission delivers scientific investigations in biology and biotechnology, Earth and space science, physical sciences, and technology development.
Credentialing to cover prelaunch and launch activities is open to U.S. media. The application deadline for U.S. citizens is 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, November 12.
