CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -The “S.S. Sally Ride” follows the company’s tradition of naming Cygnus spacecraft for an individual who has pioneered human spaceflight .

Detailed explanation-2: -NG-14, previously known as OA-14, was the fifteenth flight of the Northrop Grumman robotic resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its fourteenth flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract with NASA. The mission was launched on 3 October 2020, at 01:16:14 UTC.

Detailed explanation-3: -As of November 2022 one mission is currently planned to be launched from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Launch Pad 0A on the one remaining Antares 230+ rocket, three are to be launched on the Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral SLC-40, and one from Wallops on an Antares 330.

Detailed explanation-4: -Falcon 9 rockets already launch SpaceX’s own resupply missions to the space station with the Dragon spacecraft. Unlike the Dragon, the Cygnus supply ships will launch covered by the Falcon 9’s payload fairing.

Detailed explanation-5: -Currently, Northrop Grumman uses Cygnus to perform International Space Station resupply flights under the second Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract. Beginning in 2014, Cygnus has carried more than 70, 000 pounds (31, 500 kg) of critical cargo to the station under the first CRS-1 contract.