Breaking Update: Here’s a clear explanation of the latest developments related to Breaking News:Cargo spacecraft to crash through Earth’s atmosphere, burn up– What Just Happened and why it matters right now.
A cargo resupply spacecraft is on its way back to Earth from the International Space Station, where it’s expected to make a fiery reentry this weekend into the planet’s atmosphere.
Northrop Grumman’s uncrewed Cygnus XL spacecraft, which reached the aging orbital outpost in September, undocked Thursday, March 12, ahead of an expected two-day journey. When the vehicle is commanded to begin its final descent, it will be destroyed while plummeting through Earth’s atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour.
The demise of the spacecraft will bring to an end another crucial resupply run to the space station, where seven astronauts – including three Americans – are living and working. The vehicle would also be the second major spacecraft to crash through Earth’s atmosphere in recent days after one of the defunct twin Van Allen Probes reentered Wednesday, March 11.
Here’s everything to know about the Cygnus XL’s departure from the ISS and its impending reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
Cygnus cargo spacecraft departs International Space Station
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo craft is pictured in the grips of the Canadarm2 robotic arm following its capture on Sept. 18, 2025. Cygnus XL is Northrop Grumman’s expanded version of its previous Cygnus cargo craft increasing its payload capacity and pressurized cargo volume.
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft undocked around 7 a.m. ET Thursday, March 12, from the International Space Station. The departure marks an end to the uncrewed vehicle’s mission after arriving about six months ago with 11,000 pounds of supplies and scientific investigations for the astronauts aboard.
The space station was orbiting about 260 miles over the south Atlantic Ocean when the vehicle was released by Canada’s 56-foot-long Canadarm2 robotic arm from the Earth-facing port of the station’s Unity module, where the crew lives and works.
Cargo vehicle to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. Can you watch it?
Ahead, the Cygnus XL spacecraft will be remotely commanded to deorbit to perform a destructive reentry through Earth’s atmosphere, meaning it will harmlessly burn up before reaching the ground. The vehicle is also carrying “several thousand pounds of trash” from the space station that will burn up along with it, NASA said.
NASA expects the fiery reentry to take place Saturday, March 14 above the South Pacific Ocean.
While NASA livestreamed the undocking on its NASA+ streaming service, the agency is unable to provide coverage of the spacecraft’s final descent.
Northrop Grumman spacecraft made difficult trip to ISS
The Cygnus XL’s journey to the ISS in 2025 was fraught with peril.
The spacecraft hitched a ride to orbit Sept. 14 atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, located just south of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
While it soon managed to reach a safe altitude and deploy its two solar arrays needed to generate energy from the sun, the vehicle encountered trouble when its main engine stopped earlier than intended. The issue arose during two engine burns meant to raise the spacecraft’s orbit as it approached the space station.
The anomaly, determined to be a safeguard the Cygnus spacecraft triggered on its own, delayed the arrival to the orbital laboratory by one day after the issue was resolved.
Though it was the 23rd time Northrop Grumman launched a resupply mission to the space station, Cygnus XL became the latest version of its spacecraft to make the trip. The upgraded solar-powered vehicle is larger and more powerful than its predecessors, capable of transporting 2,600 additional pounds of cargo than previous Cygnus models, according to Northrop Grumman.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL to crash into Earth after ISS mission