Northrop Grumman · Operational · us · Cargo Spacecraft
Cygnus XL
Enhanced pressurized ISS freighter with 33% more capacity than prior Cygnus; ISS reboost-capable.
Verified 2026-09-24 · First flight 2025-09-14
Subsystems
propulsion↗
Hypergolic service module provides orbital maneuvering; also used for ISS reboost capability.
avionics↗
Northrop Grumman proprietary avionics and power modules; fully autonomous rendezvous for Canadarm2 capture.
power↗
UltraFlex deployable solar arrays.
comms↗
Berths at ISS Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) via Canadarm2 capture; not direct-docking.
Specs & Metrics
- Cargo Upmass ↑ better
- 5,000 kg
- ~11,000 lb per NG-23/NG-24 manifests
- Maximum pressurized + unpressurized cargo delivered to station orbit (upmass), in kg.
- Pressurized Volume ↑ better
- 36 m³
- Increased from 18 m³ on standard Cygnus
- Total internal pressurized volume of the spacecraft in cubic metres.
Program roadmap
- achieved
First Cygnus XL (NG-23) launched to the ISS with over 11,000 lb of cargo
2025-09-14↗