Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL spacecraft, carrying 11,000 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station (ISS), experienced a main engine problem. The engine shut down prematurely during orbit-boosting burns, delaying the scheduled Wednesday arrival. NASA is evaluating backup plans, potentially using smaller thrusters for a slower orbital adjustment. This is the first flight of the larger Cygnus XL model, carrying the heaviest cargo ever to the ISS. A new arrival time is under review; failure to reach the ISS would mean losing all cargo.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.