DULLES, Va. (WAVY) – A spacecraft named for NASA legend Katherine Johnson has completed its mission at the International Space Station.
The unmanned Cygnus spacecraft S.S. Katherine Johnson launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight facility in February onboard Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket. It delivered 8,000 pounds of scientific experiments to the space station.
Johnson, a mathematician, was one of the women featured in the film ‘Hidden Figures.’
The spacecraft left the ISS on June 29, then immediately began the secondary phase of its mission, to deploy five research satellites in orbit.
A new cargo ship from Kazakhstan loaded with more than 3,600 pounds of food, fuel, and supplies is now docked at the space station.
“Our Cygnus cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station help enable humans to live and work in space,” said Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager, tactical space systems, Northrop Grumman. “With each mission, we grow our capabilities beyond cargo resupply as we operate a high performing science laboratory for both civil and commercial companies during the secondary phase of our flight.”
