NASA is inviting U.S. media to apply for accreditation to cover the Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 25 mission, or CRS-25. The launch is targeted for no earlier than 10:49 a.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 29, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
A Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL spacecraft will fly to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. After reaching orbit, astronauts will capture Cygnus with the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm and attach it to the Earth-facing port of the Unity module. The spacecraft is expected to remain at the station until May 2027.
CRS-25 will be Northrop Grumman’s 25th spacecraft built to deliver supplies to the space station under a NASA contract. In addition to food, crew supplies, and equipment, the mission will carry scientific investigations in biology, biotechnology, Earth and space science, physical sciences, and technology development.
Among the experiments are hardware intended to produce tiny, DNA-inspired particles in space for research into drug delivery for cancer and osteoarthritis. Another investigation will study whether it is possible to predict if a patient’s cancer may spread to other parts of the body. Cygnus will also transport human muscle cells and medications for testing treatments related to muscle loss in space and aging on Earth, along with a compact radiation sensor designed to support crew safety on future missions.
The deadline for U.S. citizens to submit accreditation applications is 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, Nov. 12. Requests must be filed online. Approved media will receive confirmation by email.
NASA said questions about accreditation or requests for special logistical support can be sent to ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Other media inquiries can be directed to the Kennedy Space Center newsroom at 321-867-2468.
Sources: NASA Breaking News.