Cygnus XL Cargo Craft reaches ISS after thruster issue caused delay
by Andrew Sookdeo
Washington DC (UPI) Sep 18, 2025

Northrup Grumman's Cygnus XL Cargo Craft reached the International Space Station on Thursday after its resupply mission was delayed by thruster issues.

The spacecraft was captured by the ISS's Canadarm2 robotic arm at 7:24 a.m. EDT as NASA astronauts Jonny Kim Zena Cardman brought it in.

The Northrup Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 23 mission is bringing more than 11,000 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo to the ISS and the spacecraft is expected to remain at the station until spring.

The arrival at the ISS was delayed by a day from its initial launch after Cygnus' main engine shut down prematurely.

It launched on Sunday and was expected to arrive at the ISS by late Tuesday but NASA pushed the schedule back following the thruster failure.

This was the first flight of the Cygnus XL, with a longer pressurized cargo module that can hold 33% more payload than the previous version.

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