The Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft, operated by Northrop Grumman, is set to leave the International Space Station on Friday, October 9. This departure is part of the Commercial Resupply Services-24 mission, following the delivery of over 11,000 pounds of supplies and research equipment to the orbital laboratory.
Ground flight controllers will command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to detach the spacecraft from the Unity module port. The release maneuver is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. EDT, with NASA astronaut Luke Delaney overseeing the process from the station. NASA plans to broadcast the undocking procedure starting at 12:30 p.m. EDT.
After departing the station, the Cygnus XL will carry thousands of pounds of waste and disposal items. On Sunday, October 11, the vehicle will perform a deorbit maneuver, leading to a destructive re-entry into the atmosphere. The spacecraft originally launched on April 11 via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.
