Despite being delayed by a day because of issues at the Mission Control Center, the Cygnus cargo ship launched yesterday for the International Space Station (ISS). It turned out, however, that the issues persisted because, in accordance with the U. S. The Cygnus’ solar panels have not been opened, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The issues were discovered a few hours after launch.
Cygnus has two UltraFlex solar panels
The spacecraft’s primary power source is solar power, and Cygnus has two UltraFlex solar panels in place that, when combined, should be able to generate 3,5 kilowatts of power.
One of the panels failed to pivot into a usable position.
Northrop Grumman, the company that built the Cygnus, claims that even with just one battery, the ship has enough power to continue flying and make its approach to the station.
According to NASA, evaluate these data and decide whether such an impromptu ship configuration is suitable for docking.
NASA spokesperson said
Cygnus will be captured by the ISS robotic arm and docked to the airlock tomorrow, November 9, when it is just a few meters away from the station.
A NASA spokesperson said that the cargo ship might start to shake if one of its solar panels is never fully opened by the time it docks with the ISS.
Another possibility is that the panel will start to come together quickly.
Due to the risks that all of this poses during docking, the final decision will be made following Cygnus’s approach to the station.
Specialists from Northrop Grumman are working on the issue concurrently, and perhaps they will find a solution: the panel will unfold and return to its normal position.
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