NASA aborts S.S. Kalpana Chawla Cygnus launch due to 'unknown problem'

The launch of Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket and next Cygnus vehicle, named after Indian-American astronaut Kalpana Chawla, was scrubbed about 2 minutes and 40 seconds before liftoff. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said the launch was scrubbed due to an unknown problem with a component of ground support equipment.

The commercial cargo spacecraft, S.S. Kalpana Chawla, was set to blast off carrying approximately 3,720 kilograms of cargo and supplies for the International Space Station (ISS). NASA announced that the coverage for the next launch attempt will begin at 8:45pm ET on October 2, pending a resolution of the problem at agency’s Wallops Flight Facility.

The incident marks the second delay in the launch of Northrop Grumman's latest commercial resupply mission as it was already pushed back from its original launch window of September 29 due to weather conditions. The American space agency has not provided specific reasons for aborting the mission.

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Northrop Grumman, an American global aerospace and defence technology company, said that the NG-14 mission commemorates Kalpana Chawla, a NASA astronaut and the first woman of Indian descent to fly in space who died during mission STS-107 when Columbia did not survive its return to Earth in 2003. 

"It is the company's tradition to name each Cygnus after an individual who has played a pivotal role in human spaceflight," said Northrop Grumman in a statement.

Drug, toilet, and camera

The cargo spacecraft will remain attached to the ISS for approximately three months before departing with disposal cargo. The cargo and supplies include the test of a biologic drug that could be used for the treatment of leukaemia, a compact toilet for astronauts to use on deep-space exploration missions and a 360-degree virtual reality camera. A secondary mission is also planned for Cygnus once it leaves the space station in approximately three months. 

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