Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL reboosts space station

(SpaceEnergy) Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft has reboosted the International Space Station, using its propulsion system to raise the orbital laboratory’s altitude.

The spacecraft fired its gimballed delta-velocity engine for 20min 43sec on 27 August while berthed to the station’s Unity module. The manoeuvre raised the station by 0.2miles at apogee and 2.6miles at perigee, leaving it in an orbit of approximately 266.5 x 254.9miles.

NASA said the reboost positions the station for the planned Progress 96 cargo launch in early September.

The manoeuvre was conducted by the Cygnus XL supporting Northrop Grumman’s Commercial Resupply Services 24 mission. The spacecraft reached the station on 13 April after delivering more than 11,000lb of scientific investigations and supplies. It is scheduled to remain berthed until October.

Northrop Grumman has incorporated station-reboost capability into Cygnus as an additional logistics service. The company identifies International Space Station orbit reboost as one of the spacecraft platform’s established capabilities.