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Another resupply mission for NASA is set to lift off tonight from Cape Canaveral – along with sonic boom triggering booster return.
At 6:11 p.m. SpaceX will launch a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft full of supplies and science for NASA to the International Space Station. The liftoff will be from Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Due to the spacecraft traveling to the orbiting space station, the Falcon 9 rocket must launch on time or SpaceX will have to stand down for the day.
Upon liftoff, the Falcon 9 rocket will fly on a northeast trajectory – however, that is not the end of the show for those on the Space Coast.
Just under eight minutes past the launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage booster will come in for a landing at Cape Canaveral Landing Zone 2. The result will be a sonic boom heard shortly afterward throughout Brevard County.
When is the next Florida rocket launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA, rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral
The spacecraft will then continue onward to the space station on its commercial resupply mission. Onboard is 11,000 pounds of food, supplies, and science for the astronauts onboard the station.
CRS-23 – also referred to as NG-23 — marks the 23rd resupply mission by Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus. The mission will be the first flight of the company’s new Cygnus XL spacecraft. It is referred to as a solar powered, larger and more capable cargo spacecraft compared to previous models of the Cygnus, which flew multiple NASA resupply missions in the past.
Check back two hours prior to liftoff for live FLORIDA TODAY updates on this page.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA NG-23: SpaceX to launch Northrop Grumman Cygnus from Florida
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