The Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo ship is flying to the International Space Station: on board it carries 3.7 tons of scientific materials and supplies, including the first surgeon robot destined for the ISS (a miniature prototype controllable from Earth) and a 3D printer from 'European Space Agency which serves to produce small metal objects.
The launch of the mission, called NG-20, took place from Cape Canaveral and was done for the first time with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, appropriately modified.
The launch, initially scheduled for yesterday, was postponed by 24 hours also due to some complications that arose during the installation of a hatch that allows an additional load to be added at the last moment.
Cygnus should arrive at its destination on February 1st: it will be captured by the ISS's robotic arm, commanded by NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, and will be attached to the Unity module, where it will remain until May.
It will then return to Earth, destroying itself upon re-entry into the atmosphere with its load of waste.
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