Expedition 64 Cygnus 14 Release – January 6, 2021

>> GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TOMISSION CONTROL HOUSTON. I’M SANDRA JONES AT THE JOHNSONSPACE CENTER HERE IN HOUSTON,TEXAS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE LIVE VIEWS OFTHE NORTHROP GRUMMAN CYGNUSCARGO CRAFT THAT WILL BEDEPARTING SHORTLY AFTER BEINGDOCKED TO THE SPACE STATIONSINCE OCTOBER 5, 2020. THIS MORNING WE’LL BE TARGETINGCYGNUS AROUND 9:10 CENTRAL TIMEFROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACESTATION. YOU’LL HEAR CALLS FROM STATIONTO NASA ASTRONAUT TO RELEASECYGNUS SHORTLY. TODAY’S VVO VISITING VEHICLEOFFICER. LEADING THE TEAM IN DULLES ISMISSION DIRECTOR ZACH DWYERER. THEY’RE KEEPING TABS ON THEVEHICLE AND WILL TAKE FULLCONTROL LATER TODAY. THE APPROACH IS AN IMAGINE NEARGATE OR FENCE AROUND THE STATIONMEASURING ONE KILOMETER BY ONEKILOMETER BY TWO KILOMETERS. ONCE CYGNUS DEPARTS THIS AREA,NORTHROP GRUMMAN WILL TAKE FULLCONTROL OF THE CYGNUSSPACECRAFT. PREPARATIONS FOR CYGNUS UNDOCKBEGAN A COUPLE OF HOURS AGOAROUND 7:25 A. M. CENTRAL TIME. THEY MANEUVERED CYGNUS INTO THEPOSITION THAT IT IS CURRENTLYIN. MONITORING THE RELEASE OF THESPACECRAFT FROM THE SPACESTATION IS NASA ASTRONAUT KATERUBINS. SHE’LL HAVE A GREAT VIEW OF THESPACECRAFT AS IT IS UNDOCKED ANDMAKES ITS WAY AWAY FROM THESPACE STATION BACK TO EARTHWHERE IT WILL HARMLESSLY BURN UPOVER THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE UPONENTERING THE PACIFIC OCEAN. YOU’RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT AVIEW OF CYGNUS AS IT IS DOCKEDAT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACESTATION. BUT BEFORE IT CAN ENTER THEEARTH’S ATMOSPHERE IT WILL GOTHROUGH DEPARTURE. CYGNUS WILL CONTINUE MOVING AWAYFROM THE STATION AND WILL MAKESITS WAY TO THE APPROACH ELIPSOIDWHICH IS THE ONE KILOMETER BYONE KILOMETER BY TWO KILOMETERDEBATE WE DISCUSSED. >> WE’RE WORKING 173–>> THESE INVISIBLE LINES ISWHERE WE HAVE CHECKPOINTS WHENVEHICLES APPROACH THE SPACESTATION HELPING THEM TO MONITOR. >> COPY, THANK YOU. >> FOLLOWING THAT DEPARTURE BURNONCE CYGNUS IS SAFELY OUT OF THENEIGHBORHOOD OF THE SPACESTATION THIS IS THE POINT INWHICH JOINT OPERATIONS WILL END. HOWEVER, THAT WILL NOT YET BETHE END OF CYGNUS MISSION. WILL REMAIN IN ORBIT UNTILJANUARY 26TH CONDUCTING SEVERALEXPERIMENTS BEFORE REENTERINGTHE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE ANDHARMLESSLY BURNING UP OVER THEPACIFIC OCEAN. >> EACH CYGNUS SPACECRAFT ISNAMED AFTER A SIGNIFICANTASTRONAUT. THIS CYGNUS WAS NAMED AFTERKALPANA CHAWLA. CYGNUS CARRIED WITH IT8,000 POUNDS OF CREW SUPPLIESEXPERIMENTS AND HARDWARE, ANDIT’S ARRIVED AT ITS CAPTUREPOINT THREE DAYS LATE AT THECONTROLS OF THE SENATE ROBOTICARM FOR CAPTURE. A FEW HOURS AFTER IT’SSUCCESSFUL CAPTURE CYGNUSCOMPLETED INSTALLATION WHEN ITWAS INSTALLED TO THE UNITYMODULE OF THE INTERNATIONALSPACE STATION WHERE IT HASREMAINED SINCE THIS MORNING WHENIT WAS MOVED INTO THE RELEASEPOSITION DISCUSSED EARLIER. >> HOUSTON STATION. >> GO AHEAD. >> COPY. WE’RE CHECKING. THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. >> THE ONLY TWO LOCATED ARE SEALNUMBER 7 AND 10, AND THEY BOTHLOOK LIKE THEY’RE OPERATING. >> THANK YOU. >> EVERYTHING STILL PROCEEDINGNO. ILY ON THE GROUND AS WE MOVETOWARDS CYGNUS RELEASE SHORTLYFOR 9:10 CENTRAL TIME. >> STATION HOUSTON, WE WILL GETBACK TO YOU AFTER CYGNUS LEAVES. ABOUT 15 MINUTES OR SO. >> COPY. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. >> AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIERTODAY’S RELEASE OF CYGNUS WILLBE TRIGGERED BY TEAMS ON THEGROUND RATHER THAN THE CREW ONBOARD THE SPACE STATION. ONCE THAT ENSNARES THE HANDS OFTHE ROBOTIC ARM WILL OPEN ANDWE’LL SEE RETRACTOR OF THE ARM. >> THIS VIEW IS COMING TO YOULIVE WHICH IS NORTH OVER THEPACIFIC OCEAN. IF YOU’RE JUST TUNING IN WITH USTODAY WE’LL BE TARGETING CYGNUSAROUND 9:10 CENTRAL TIME. PREPARATIONS FOR SIGNIFICANTNASA ASTRONAUT UNDOCK BEGAN A ACOUPLE OF HOURS AGO WHEN FLIGHTCONTROLLERS USED THE CANADA ARM2 TO UNBOLT CYGNUS FROM THEEARTH’S FACING SIDE OF THE UNITYMODULE OF THE SPACE STATION. THEY THEN MANEUVERED IT CYGNUSINTO THE RELEASE POSITION THATIT IS CURRENTLY IN. MONITORING THE RELEASE OF THESPACECRAFT TODAY FROM THE SPACESTATION IS NASA ASTRONAUT KATERUBINS. SHE’LL WE’LL HAVE A GREAT VIEWOF THE “P” CYGNUS AS IT ENTERSTHE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE WHERE ITWILL HARMLESS BURN UP OVER THEPACIFIC OCEAN. >> THANK YOU FOR WAITING. NOW GO FOR IN STEP TWO. >> THAT’S 2 AND MODE IS IN FREEDRIFT. CYGNUS LIGHTS ARE VISIBLE. CYGNUS COMMAND PASS IS ON ON. CYGNUS COMMAND PANEL LEDCONFIGURATION IS AS EXPECTED. >> EVERYTHING STILL PROCEEDINGNOMINALLY FOR ON TIME DOCKING. UNDOCKING CURRENTLY SCHEDULEDFOR TEN MINUTES FROM NOW AT9:10 CENTRAL TIME. FLIGHT CONTROLLERS WILL INITIATEBURNS TO ALLOW CYGNUS TO BURN UPHARMLESSLY OVER DISPOSING OF4,000-POUND OF TRASH OVER THEPACIFIC OCEAN. >> GO AHEAD ON TWO. >> WORKING ON UNPACKING 4. 2NUMBER 5039 AND IT LOOKS LIKETHE UNSTOW TRACK INFORMATION WASTHINKING THERE WAS ONE ITEM INTHERE. THERE IS ACTUALLY A FOAM BOX INHERE THAT HOLDS SOME OF THEFIBEROPTICS PAYLOAD. >> OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THATREPORT. WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU. >> THAT WAS THE VOICE OF NASAASTRONAUT KATE RUBINS CURRENTLYON BOARD THE SPACE STATION WHOWILL BE MONITORING THE RELEASEOF CYGNUS. >> STATION HOUSTON. >> ON TWO. >> YES, GO AHEAD AND PERFORMSTEP THREE AND FOUR IN CYGNUSRELEASE DEPARTURE MONITORING. >> STEP THREE AND FOUR INRELEASE MONITORING AND RELEASECOMMAND. >> SOUNDS GOOD. >> EVERYTHING PROCEEDINGNOMINALLY AS WE TARGET THE9:10 CENTRAL TIME RELEASE FROMTHE CANADA ARM 2 ON BOARD THEINTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. WE’RE CURRENTLY IN A BRIEFEXPECTED HAND OVER BETWEENSATELLITES AND WE’LL REGAINCOMMUNICATION SHORTLY. IT YOU’RE JUST TUNING IN WITH USWE’RE TARGETING RELEASE OFCYGNUS AROUND 9:10 CENTRAL TIMEFROM THE CANADA ARM 2 FROM THEINTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. MANEUVERED CYGNUS FROM THERELEASE POSITION THAT IT ISCURRENTLY IN. MONITORING THE RELEASE OF THESPACECRAFT TODAY FROM THE SPACESTATION IS NASA ASTRONAUT KATERUBINS. SHE’LL BE POISED IN POSITION ANDWILL HAVE A GREAT VIEW OF THESPACECRAFT AS IT IS UNDOCKED ANDMAKES IT’S AWAY AWAY FROM THESPACE STATION WHERE IT WILLHARMLESSLY BURN UP OVER THEATMOSPHERE OVER THE PACIFIC IGUESS. BUT BEFORE IT CAN RELEASE ITWILL GO THROUGH MILESTONES. THE BURN WILL MOVE CYGNUS AWAYFROM THE SPACE STATION, INTO A200 RADIUS AROUND THE STATION. IT WILL MOVE INTO THE ELIPSOIDWHICH IS A ONE KILOMETER BY ONEKILOMETER BY TWO KILOMETERSINVISIBLE LINE AROUND THE SPACESTATION. IT WILL REMAIN IN ORBIT UNTILJANUARY 26TH CONDUCTING SEVERALEXPERIMENTS BEFORE REENTERINGTHE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE ANDARMLESSLY BURNING OVER THEPACIFIC OCEAN. AM WE’RE JUST TWO MINUTES AWAYFROM THE SCHEDULED RELEASE OFCYGNUS TODAY FROM THEINTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THAT IS REALLIED FOR9:10 CENTRAL TIME. >> HOUSTON, IT IS ON TIME. >> ISS AND CREW ARE READY FORRELEASE. >> HOUSTON, COPIES. AND WE JUST HEARD COP FIRSTIMAGINATION THAT EVERYTHING ISGO FOR CYGNUS TO RELEASE ON TIMEAT 9:10 CENTRAL TIME. THAT RELEASE COMING UNDER JUST AMINUTE. >> STATION ON TWO. PROCEEDING. >> RELEASE COMMANDED. >> AND WE JUST HEARDCONFIRMATION THAT THE RELEASE OFCYGNUS HAS BEEN COMMANDED. THOSE LATCHES ARE NOW IN MOTIONPREPARING TO RELEASE THEVEHICLE. >> COPY. >> AND AT 9:11 CENTRAL TIME ASCYGNUSS WITH FLYING OVER THEEASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN OFF THECOAST OF ECUADOR WE HAVE RELEASEOF THE CYGNUS SPACECRAFT. THE VIEW YOU SEE HERE IS THELATCHING END DEFECTOR, THE ENDDEFECTOR AND ARM BEGIN TO BACKAWAY FROM EACH OTHER. AM. >> PROCEEDING TO BACK AWAY. >> IT HAS EXITED. >> COPY, IT HAS EXITED. >> NASA ASTRONAUT CONTINUES TOMONITOR THE SPACECRAFT FROM THEKUP, LA OF THE SPACE STATION ASCYGNUS BACK AWAY CONTINUES. >> BACK AWAY IN PROGRESS. >> EVERYTHING CONTINUING TOPROCEED SMOOTHLY AS CYGNUSCONTINUES TO BACK AWAY FROM THESPACE STATION. CYGNUS IS LOADED WITH OVER4,000 POUNDS OF TRASH. >> HOUSTON COPIES, 1. 5 METERS. >> HOUSTON ON TWO. BACK AWAY COMPLETE. >> BACK AWAY COMPLETE,PROCEEDING WITH STEP 4. >> COPY. >> AND THAT WAS THE CONFIRMATIONOF THE BACK AWAY FROM THE ARM ASIT IS COMPLETE. THIS VIEW OF THE CYGNUSSPACECRAFT NOW FLYING FREE OVERTHE EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN OVERECUADOR. >> CYGNUS DEPARTURE BOUND IS INPROGRESS. >> ANDS A CYGNUS IS FLYING FREEWE HAVE CONFIRMATION THAT THETHREE MINUTE DEPASTURE BURN ISUNDERWAY. IT WILL MOVE CYGNUS A SAFEDISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SPACESTATION. ONCE CYGNUS EXITS THENEIGHBORHOOD OF THE SPACESTATION, THIS VIEW OF THE CYGNUSSPACECRAFT SHOWING IT FLYINGFREE AFTER IT WAS SUCCESSFULLYUNBOOKED FROM THE INTERNATIONALSPACE STATION WHILE FLYING OVERTHE EASTERN PACIFIC MOTION OFFTHE COAST OF ECUADOR. >> EVERYTHING PROCEEDINGNORMALLY IN THE DEPARTURE BURN. JUST LESS THAN ONE MINUTEREMAINING IN THE DEPASTURE BURNEVERYTHING CONTINUING TO PROCEEDNOMINALLY. WE JUST RECEIVED CONFIRMATIONTHAT THE DEPARTURE BURN IS NOWDEPLETE. IT IS COMPLETE AND I CAN CONFIRMTHAT IS A BEAUTIFUL DEPASTURE. WE WANT TO SAY IT HAS BEEN APLEASURE HAVING CYGNUS ON BOARD. CONGRATULATIONS TO NASA ANDNORTHROP GRUMMAN TEAMS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOURAUTONOMOUS FLIGHT AND THANK YOUFOR BRINGING YOUR SUPPLIES TOTHE STATION. >> THANK YOU, KATE, FOR THE KINDWORDS AND CYGNUS HAS EXITING THE200-METER ATMOSPHERE. >> COPY. THANK YOU. >> WE JUST WORDS THAT CYGNUS HASLEFT THE KEEP OUT SPHERE. CYGNUSS ARE RELEASED FROM THECANADA ARM TWO FROM THEINTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION THISMORNING AS THE SPACE STATION WASFLYING OVER THE EASTERN PACIFICOCEAN OFF THE COAST OF ECUADOR. FOLLOWING RELEASE, CYGNUS WASMOVED SAFELY AWAY FROM THE SPACESTATION. CYGNUS IS NOW HEADING TOWARDSITS FINAL MILESTONE OF THE DAY. ONCE IT APPROACHES THE ELPSOID,THE TEAM IN DULLES, VIRGINIA,WILL TAKE CONTROL OF THESPACECRAFT. IF YOU’RE JUST TUNING IN WITH USTODAY, THE CYGNUS RESUPPLY CARGOVEHICLE HAS JUST LEFT DOCK WHILEFLYING OVER THE EASTERN PACIFICOCEAN OFF THE COAST OF ECUADOR. CYGNUS THEN COMPLETED ATHREE-MINUTE DEPARTURE BURN. CYGNUS IS NOW HEADING TOWARDSITS FINAL MILESTONE OF THE DAY. THE APPROACH ELIPSID. AGAIN, WE HAD A SUCCESSFULUNDOCKING OF THE CYGNUS RESUPPLYVEHICLE FROM THE INTERNATIONALSPACE STATION THIS MORNING AT9:11 CENTRAL TIME. WHEN CYGNUS ARRIVED AT THE SPACESTATION ON OCTOBER FIFTH ITBROUGHT WITH IT 8,000 POUNDS OFCREW SUPPLIES, AND EQUIPMENT. UPON ARRIVAL AT THEINTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION THECARGO WAS UNLOADED FROM CYGNUS. FOR THE FIFTH TIME THIS IS THESTUDY OF LARGE SCALE FIRES OVERMICRO GRAVITY. ONCE THE VEHICLE DEPARTS THESPACE STATION BEFORE CYGNUSMAKES IT’S OWN TIREY RE-ENTRYOVER THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE. THE MAJORITY OF THE RESEARCHDONE ON BOARD THE SPACE STATION,FOR OVER 20 YEARS THE SPACESTATION HAS SERVED AS A TEST BEDAND SCIENCE LABORATORY AND HASBEEN A CRITICAL STEPPING STONEIN OUR PURSUIT TO SEND THE FIRSTWOMAN AND NEXT MAN TO THE MOONBY 2024 WITH THE ARTEMISPROGRAM. IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES WE’LL BELOOKING FOR CYGNUS TO EXIT THEAPPROACH ELIPSID WHICH IS THAT 1KILOMETER BY 1 KILOMETER BY 2KILOMETER GATE AROUND THE SPACESTATION. THESE INVISIBLE LINES ARE ALSOWHERE WE HAVE CHECKPOINTS WHENVEHICLES APPROACH THE SPACESTATION HELPING VEHICLES MONITORWHEN APPROACHING THE VISITINGLABORATORY. WE JUST HEARD CONFIRMATION THATCYGNUS IS OFFICIALLY OUT OF THEKEEP OUT SPHERE. ALSO LIVING ON BOARD THE SPACESTATION IS VICTOR GLOVERRER,SHANNON THEY ARRIVED ON THE CREWVEHICLE. >> RECAPPING SOME OF THE EVENTSFROM TODAY FLIGHT CONTROLLERS INHOUSTON USED THE FROM THE EARTHFACING SIDE OF THE UNITY MODULEAND MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE TOITS RELEASE POSITION. CYGNUS CONDUCTED A THREE MINUTEDEPARTURE BORN EXITING THE KEEPOUT SPHERE. AND THE FINAL MILESTONE CAMEJUST MINUTES AGO AS THESPACECRAFT COVERED THE ELIPSOID. THE NORTHROP GRUMMAN TEAM NOWHAS FULL CONTROL OF THESPACECRAFT. CYGNUS WILL CONDUCT TWOSECONDARY OBJECTIVES RELATED TOTHE BURN EXPERIMENT ANDDEMONSTRATION BEFORE IT DEORBITSON JANUARY 26TH HAVING SPENT ATOTAL OF 93 DAYS. UPON ITS RE-ENTRY INTO THEEARTH’S ATMOSPHERE, OVER4,000 POUNDS OF TRASH WILLHARMLESSLY BURN UP. WITH CYGNUS NOW SAFELY DEPARTEDWITHIN THE VICINITY. >> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ONNASA. >> HOUSTON, YOU HAVE A GO ONSTEP 2 WHENEVER YOU ARE READY.