National aerospace and defense technology Northrop Grumman is looking to upgrade its flagship rocket and is set to work with SpaceX for some upcoming missions in the meantime.
Northrop Grumman signed a launch deal with SpaceX for three cargo supply missions to the International Space Station (ISS), according to a report from Reuters.
The launches are set to take place in 2023 and 2024 as Northrop upgrades its Antares rocket.
In an email, Northrop spokeswoman Ellen Klicka said, “The launches will take place in late 2023 and 2024 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida in support of the NG-20, -21 and -22 CRS missions.”
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The news comes after Northrop struggled with Antares after Russian-built engines were barred from the U.S. as retaliation from Moscow over Western sanctions. The sanctions initially fell upon Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in February.
NASA offered 14 resupply mission contracts to Northrop Grumman for trips to the ISS, out of a total of 32 supply missions ordered under CRS-2 contracts.
Northrop is also designing the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) pressurized living space component for NASA’s upcoming lunar outpost mission in 2024.
Earlier this month, SpaceX also launched South Korea’s first mission to the moon using the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), officially named Danuri.
