SpaceX Falcon 9 Set to Launch Cygnus XL NG-24: Honoring Astronaut Steven R. Nagel on the Road to ISS Innovation
As we stand on the cusp of another milestone in commercial spaceflight, SpaceX is poised to launch Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL NG-24 mission—also known as NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 (CRS-2) mission CRS-24—no earlier than 7:41 a.m. ET on Friday, April 11, 2026, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. With a backup window on April 12, this liftoff promises to deliver over 11,000 pounds of critical supplies, scientific experiments, and equipment to the Expedition 73 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Named the S.S. Steven R. Nagel after a legendary NASA astronaut, this mission underscores the deepening synergy between SpaceX and Northrop Grumman, highlighting America’s pivot toward reliable, reusable rocketry amid geopolitical shifts.