Northrop’s New “Chonker” Spacecraft Debuts – Cygnus XL Takes on SpaceX & Boeing
Design and Capabilities of Northrop’s Cygnus XL Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL is an enlarged version of the company’s proven Cygnus cargo spacecraft, engineered to carry significantly more supplies to orbit. Design-wise, the Cygnus XL consists of two main parts: a cylindrical pressurized cargo module (PCM) where goods are stored, and a service module with propulsion, power, and avionics. The XL variant’s pressurized module has been stretched by 5.2 feet (1.6 m) compared to earlier models cbsnews.com. This extension boosts the internal volume by about one-third, allowing Cygnus XL to accommodate bulkier and heavier cargo loads than before. Northrop reports the new craft