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By European Space Agency
The European Space Agency’s Plato spacecraft has safely arrived at ESTEC, ESA’s technical heart in the Netherlands. There, engineers will complete the spacecraft by connecting its solar panels and sunshield, and carry out a series of critical tests to confirm that Plato is fit for launch and ready for its planet-hunting mission in space.
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By NASA
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo craft awaits its capture by the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm, commanded by NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick on Aug. 6, 2024.Credit: NASA NASA, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 6:11 p.m. EDT, Sunday, Sept. 14, for the next launch to deliver science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. The mission is known as NASA’s Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 23, or Northrop Grumman CRS-23.
Watch the agency’s launch and arrival coverage on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
Filled with more than 11,000 pounds of supplies, the Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL spacecraft, carried on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This mission will be the first flight of the Cygnus XL, the larger, more cargo-capable version of the company’s solar-powered spacecraft.
Following arrival, astronauts aboard the space station will use the Canadarm2 to grapple Cygnus XL on Wednesday, Sept. 17, before robotically installing the spacecraft to the Unity module’s Earth-facing port for cargo unloading.
Highlights of space station research and technology demonstrations, facilitated by delivery aboard this Cygnus XL, include materials to produce semiconductor crystals in space and equipment to develop improvements for cryogenic fuel tanks. The spacecraft also will deliver a specialized UV light system to prevent the growth of microbe communities that form in water systems and supplies to produce pharmaceutical crystals that could treat cancer and other diseases.
Media interested in speaking to a science subject matter expert should contact Sandra Jones at: sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available on the agency’s website.
The Cygnus XL spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the orbiting laboratory until March before it departs and burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere. Northrop Grumman has named the spacecraft the S.S. William “Willie” McCool, in honor of the NASA astronaut who perished in 2003 during the space shuttle Columbia accident.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Wednesday, Sept. 10:
1 p.m. – International Space Station National Laboratory Science Webinar with the following participants:
Dr. Liz Warren, associate chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program Research Office Phillip Irace, science program director, International Space Station National Laboratory Paul Westerhoff, regents professor, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University Robert Garmise, director of formulation development; exploratory biopharmaceuticals, Bristol Myers Squibb Joel Sercel, founder and CEO, TransAstra Corporation and Mike Lewis, senior vice president, customer innovation, Voyager Technologies Mohammad Kassemi, research professor, Case Western University Media who wish to participate must register for Zoom access no later than one hour before the start of the webinar.
The webinar will be recorded and shared to the International Space Station National Lab’s YouTube channel following the event. Ask questions in advance using social accounts @ISS_CASIS and @Space_Station.
Friday, Sept 12
11:30 a.m. – Prelaunch media teleconference with the following participants:
Dina Contella, deputy manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program Dr. Liz Warren, associate chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program Research Office Ryan Tintner, vice president, Civil Space Systems, Northrop Grumman Jared Metter, director, Flight Reliability, SpaceX Media who wish to participate by phone must request dial-in information by 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11, by contacting the NASA Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov.
Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website and YouTube.
Sunday, Sept. 14:
5:50 p.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+ and Amazon Prime
6:11 p.m. – Launch
Wednesday, Sept. 17:
5 a.m. – Arrival coverage begins on NASA+ and Amazon Prime
6:35 a.m. – Capture
8 a.m. – Installation coverage begins on NASA+ and Amazon Prime
NASA website launch coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 5:50 p.m. on Sept. 14, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video on NASA+ and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on our International Space Station blog for updates.
Attend Launch Virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.
Watch, Engage on Social Media
Let people know you’re watching the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by following and tagging these accounts:
X: @NASA, @NASASpaceOps, @NASAKennedy, @Space_Station, @ISS_CASIS
Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, ISS, ISS National Lab
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab
Coverage en Espanol
Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en Espanol? Check out NASA en Espanol on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for additional mission coverage.
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.
Learn more about the mission at:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-northrop-grumman-crs-23/
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Josh Finch / Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov
Steven Siceloff
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-876-2468
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Sep 08, 2025 EditorLauren E. LowLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Commercial Resupply International Space Station (ISS) ISS Research View the full article
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By European Space Agency
The second of the Meteosat Third Generation Imagers, MTG-I2, has passed some important milestones in the cleanroom facilities at Thales Alenia Space in Cannes, southern France.
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By NASA
Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; Music Credit: “History in Motion” by Fred Dubois [SACEM], Koka Media [SACEM], Universal Publishing Production Music France [SACEM], and Universal Production Music. On Aug. 7 and 8, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team assessed the observatory’s solar panels and a visor-like sunshade called the deployable aperture cover — two components that will be stowed for launch and unfold in space. Engineers confirmed their successful operation during a closely monitored sequence in simulated space-like conditions. On the first day, Roman’s four outer solar panels were deployed one at a time, each unfolding over 30 seconds with 30-second pauses between them. The visor followed in a separate test the next day. These assessments help ensure Roman will perform as expected in space. Roman is slated to launch no later than May 2027, with the team working toward a potential early launch as soon as fall 2026.
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Last Updated Aug 26, 2025 EditorAshley BalzerContactAshley Balzerashley.m.balzer@nasa.gov Related Terms
Goddard Space Flight Center Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope View the full article
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig simulates the intense cold of the lunar night, ranging from 40 Kelvin (K) to 125 K while maintaining a vacuum environment. This creates a tool by which scientists and engineers can test materials, electronics, and flight hardware for future Moon and Mars missions, characterizing their behaviors at these temperatures while also validating their ability to meet design requirements.
Cryogenic engineer Adam Rice tests the Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig to simulate the thermal-vacuum conditions of the lunar night on Thursday, May 22, 2025.NASA/Jef Janis Facility Overview
The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig (LESTR) approaches the problem of creating a simulated lunar environment by departing from typical fluid immersion or jacketed-and-chilled chamber systems. It does this by using a cryocooler to reject heat and bring the test section to any point desired by the test engineer, as low as 40 K or as high as 125 K in a vacuum environment. By combining high vacuum and cryogenic temperatures, LESTR enables safe, accurate, and cost-effective testing of materials and hardware destined for the Moon and beyond. Its modular setup supports a wide range of components — from spacesuits to rover wheels to electronics — while laying the foundation for future Moon and Mars mission technologies.
Quick Facts
LESTR is a cryogenic mechanical test system built up within a conventional load frame with the goal of providing a tool to simulate the thermal-vacuum conditions of the lunar night to engineers tasked with creating the materials, tools, and machinery to succeed in NASA’s missions.
LESTR replicates extreme lunar night environments — including temperatures as low as 40 K and high vacuum (<5×10⁻⁷ Torr) — enabling true-to-space testing without liquid cryogens. Unlike traditional “wet” methods, LESTR uses a cryocooler and vacuum system to create an environment accurate to the lunar surface. From rover wheels to spacesuits to electronics, LESTR supports static and dynamic testing across a wide range of Moon and Mars mission hardware. With scalable architecture and precision thermal control, LESTR lays critical groundwork for advancing the technologies of NASA’s Artemis missions and beyond. Capabilities
Specifications
Temperature Range: 40 K to 125 K Load Capacity: ~10 kN Vacuum Level: <5×10⁻⁷ Torr Test Volume (Cold Box Dimensions): 7.5 by 9.5 by 11.5 inches Maximum Cycle Rate: 100 Hz Time to Vacuum:10⁻⁵ Torr in less than one hour 10⁻⁶ Torr in four hours Features
Dry cryogenic testing (no fluid cryogen immersion) “Dial-a-temperature” control for precise thermal conditions Integrated optical extensometer for strain imaging Digital image correlation and electrical feedthroughs support a variety of data collection methods Native support for high-duration cyclic testing Applications
Cryogenic Lifecycle Testing: fatigue, fracture, and durability assessments Low-Frequency Vibration Testing: electronics qualification for mobility systems Static Load Testing: material behavior characterization in lunar-like environments Suspension and Drivetrain Testing: shock absorbers, wheels, springs, and textiles Textiles Testing: evaluation of spacesuits and habitat fabrics Dynamic Load Testing: up to 10 kN linear capacity, 60 mm stroke Contact
Cryogenic and Mechanical Evaluation Lab Manager: Andrew Ring
216-433-9623
Andrew.J.Ring@nasa.gov
LESTR Technical Lead: Ariel Dimston
216-433-2893
Ariel.E.Dimston@nasa.gov
Using Our Facilities
NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland provides ground test facilities to industry, government, and academia. If you are considering testing in one of our facilities or would like further information about a specific facility or capability, please let us know.
Gallery
The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig simulates the intense cold of the lunar night on Friday, June 6, 2025.NASA/Steven Logan The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig uses a cryocooler to reject heat and bring the test section as low as 40 Kelvin in a vacuum environment on Thursday, May 22, 2025.NASA/Jef Janis Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
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