NASA’s Next Cygnus XL Resupply and What’s Headed to the ISS

NASA is targeting no earlier than 29 November 2026 for its next Northrop Grumman cargo mission to the International Space Station. The agency lists 10:49 am EST, or 9:19 pm IST, as the target liftoff time from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch the Cygnus XL freighter.

What’s aboard

Northrop Grumman says the spacecraft will carry about 11,000 pounds of science investigations and supplies. NASA’s announcement highlights an experiment that will use human muscle cells to investigate treatments for muscle loss. It also lists a compact radiation sensor intended to inform crew protection on future missions.

Why launch and arrival are separate milestones

Falcon 9 places the spacecraft into orbit. Cygnus then has to adjust its orbit and approach the station for capture and installation. Northrop Grumman expects arrival approximately two days after launch. Check the agency’s updates before treating either target as fixed.

What to watch next

Follow NASA for the confirmed launch and arrival times. The target date is a planning milestone. The science work comes after the station crew receives and sets up the experiments.

Sources

NASA’s CRS-25 mission announcement · Northrop Grumman’s NG-25 mission overview

Archive photo from 9 October 2026 showing a previous Cygnus XL flight. Resized for web. Credit NASA Johnson Space Center.