On 14 September 2025, the first XL version of the NG-23 cargo module was launched from Launch Complex 40 at the US Space Force base in Cape Canaveral, Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This launch marks an important milestone in the evolution of resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS), thanks to the new XL configuration of Cygnus designed to carry larger cargo volumes.

With a capacity of 5,000 kg and a volume of 36 m3, the new Cygnus XL increases its transport capacity by 33%, allowing a greater amount of supplies to be sent to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program.

The teams of Thales Alenia Space (TAS), with commitment and dedication, worked around the clock to complete the production, assembly, integration and testing of the 23rd Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM), ensuring its timely delivery to Northrop Grumman. This activity is fundamental to guarantee the structural integrity and functionality of the module during resupply missions to the ISS.

The Cygnus spacecraft is composed of two main sections: a service module, provided by Northrop Grumman, and a pressurized cargo module (PCM) developed and manufactured by Thales Alenia Space.

These resupply missions are essential to sustain life during space missions, providing critical resources for the crew, operations, and cutting‑edge research, including experiments aimed at boosting semiconductor production, exploring alternative disinfection methods via UV light, and improving drugs for the treatment of cancer and other diseases.

The NG-23 mission was named in honor of William Cameron "Willie" McCool, a US Navy pilot and NASA astronaut, who piloted the Space Shuttle Columbia on its final mission, STS-107, in 2003. Tragically, he and the other six crew members died during atmospheric reentry, just 16 minutes from landing.

Since 2013, Cygnus has delivered over 71,000 kg of cargo to the ISS and, with the new XL version, this capacity has been further increased to support even more ambitious space missions.

At Thales Alenia Space’s facility in Turin, the primary structure of NG-24 has already been completed and is entering the assembly phase inside the cleanrooms, while PCM-25 is completing the welding phase.