Engine trouble forces Northrop Grumman to delay supply delivery to International Space Station

Key Points

• Northrop Grumman's Cygnus capsule is experiencing engine trouble, delaying its delivery to the International Space Station.
• The capsule's main engine shut down shortly after launch, preventing it from reaching the station as scheduled.
• This mission marks the debut of Northrop Grumman's new Cygnus XL model, designed to carry larger payloads.
• The shipment, which includes food and essential supplies for the crew, was initially set to deliver over 11,000 pounds of cargo.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A newly launched supply ship has run into engine trouble that is preventing it from reaching the International Space Station.

Northrop Grumman’s capsule rocketed into orbit Sunday from Florida aboard SpaceX. But less than two days later, the capsule’s main engine shut down prematurely while trying to boost its orbit.

The Cygnus capsule was supposed to dock Wednesday, delivering more than 11,000 pounds (5,000 kilograms) of cargo. But NASA said everything is on hold while flight controllers consider an alternate plan.

This marked the debut of Northrop Grumman's newest, extra large model, known as Cygnus XL, capable of ferrying a much bigger load.

The shipment includes food and science experiments for the seven space station residents, as well as spare parts for the toilet and other systems.

Northrop Grumman is one of NASA's two cargo suppliers to the space station. The other is SpaceX. Russia also provides regular shipments to the 260-mile-high (420-kilometer-high) orbiting lab, with the latest delivery arriving over the weekend.

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