SpaceX launches Northrop Grumman mission to ISS

Aug. 4 (UPI) -- SpaceX successfully launched a resupply mission for the International Space Station on Sunday after it was postponed Saturday because of unfavorable weather.

The space exploration company used a Falcon 9 rocket to launch the Cygnus spacecraft made by Northrop Grumman -- best known as a defense contractor.

Northrop Grumman changed its launch vehicle for Cygnus missions from its own Antares 230+ rocket to SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket after the war in Ukraine ended engine and booster production for the Antares program.

Onboard are tests of water recovery technology and a process to produce stem cells in microgravity, studies of the effects of spaceflight on microorganism DNA and liver tissue growth, and live science demonstrations for students, NASA said in a statement.

Shortly before the launch, SpaceX said that the weather was only 35% favorable for liftoff. Yet the rocket took off from Space Launch Complex-40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida around 11:02 a.m. local time.

About 15 minutes later, the Cygnus spacecraft successfully separated to make its way toward the ISS.

"Next up is solar array deployment, expected in about three hours. These solar arrays help power the spacecraft for its journey to the Space Station," NASA said.

The Falcon 9 first stage returned to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This was the 10th flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Ax-2, Euclid, Ax-3, CRS-30, SES ASTRA 1P, and four Starlink missions.

As for the Cygnus spacecraft, once the cargo haul is unloaded by the ISS crew, it will continue to be used as an extended science lab space for the months it remains docked to the station.