(Updated) Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter counts down to Saturday launch

Cygnus will carry more than 8,300 pounds of science, cargo, and technology demonstrations to the space station.

NASA is gearing up for the launch of Northrop Grumman's 17th Resupply Mission (NG-17) to the International Space Station. Northrop Grumman's Cygnus space freighter will launch aboard the Antares vehicle from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, on Saturday, February 19, at 12:40 p.m. EST.

Cygnus will carry more than 8,300 pounds of science, cargo, and technology demonstrations to support on-orbit operations. Scientific investigations travelling on this mission include the ISS U.S. National Lab's Colgate Skin Aging experiment that evaluates cellular and molecular changes in engineered human skin cells in microgravity; MicroQuin 3D Tumor that examines the effects of a drug on breast and prostate cancer cells in space; the OGA H2 Sensor Demo that tests new sensors for the space station's oxygen generation system (OGS); batteries, and growing plants.

Once in orbit, the Cygnus cargo spacecraft will deploy its cymbal-shaped UltraFlex solar arrays which will power the vehicle during its journey to the orbiting lab. NASA Flight Engineers Raja Chari and Kayla Barron will monitor Cygnus' automated approach and rendezvous.

.@NorthropGrumman’s #Cygnus space freighter counts down to Saturday launch at 12:40pm ET as cosmonauts unload new @Roscosmos cargo craft. https://t.co/Pck0j7Lv8y

— International Space Station (@Space_Station) February 17, 2022

Earlier this week, Russia's Progress 80 cargo craft delivered nearly three tons of food, fuel, and supplies to the orbiting lab. The uncrewed spacecraft completed a two-day space delivery mission to the Expedition 66 crew early Thursday.

Update 1

The NG-17 mission is on its way to the space station after launching on an Antares rocket on Saturday. Cygnus is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 4:35 a.m., where NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron will capture the cargo craft with the station's robotic Canadarm2.

Update 2

The Cygnus space freighter's cymbal-shaped solar arrays have been successfully deployed.