The launch is scheduled for tonight at 6:11 PM ET From The Cape
When the newest American cargo spacecraft lifts off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral this September, it will carry more than supplies, science experiments, and spare parts to the International Space Station. Stenciled on its side will be the name of a man who never got the chance to return to Earth, but whose spirit continues to travel beyond it: William “Willie” C. McCool.
Northrop Grumman has chosen to christen its first Cygnus XL spacecraft the S.S. William “Willie” C. McCool, honoring the pilot of Space Shuttle Columbia’s final mission. McCool, a U.S. Navy commander and test pilot, was among the seven astronauts lost on February 1, 2003, when Columbia disintegrated during re-entry after a 16-day research mission.
The choice of name was announced by Dan Tani, a former NASA astronaut who trained and worked alongside McCool. “It’s our tradition here at Northrop Grumman to name these spacecraft after pioneers of human spaceflight,” Tani said. “For me, this one is deeply personal. Willie and I were office mates—our desks sat right next to each other. I considered him one of my best friends.”
A Friendship Carried into Orbit
Tani, like McCool, was part of NASA’s 1996 astronaut class. The two men trained together, shared the long hours of simulators and survival exercises, and often leaned on each other during the demanding years of preparation. When McCool was assigned to STS-107, a mission devoted to a wide array of scientific experiments, his friends cheered him on.
“He was the kind of person who instantly made you feel at ease,” Tani recalled. “Smart, humble, dedicated. The kind of astronaut you wanted sitting next to you in the cockpit.”
McCool never returned from that flight. On February 1, 2003, just 16 minutes before Columbia was due to land in Florida, the shuttle broke apart over Texas. The loss stunned the world. Alongside McCool were Commander Rick Husband, mission specialists David Brown, Michael Anderson, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, and Israeli payload specialist Ilan Ramon.
For those who knew McCool personally, the grief was especially sharp. He was just 41 years old, married with three sons, and remembered not only as a gifted pilot but as a devoted husband and father.
A Legacy Written Across Space and Earth
In the years since, McCool’s name has been carried far beyond Earth. A crater on the Moon, a hill on Mars, and even an asteroid now bear his name. Schools in Washington state and Texas, a Navy waypoint, and a Star Trek shuttlecraft have been dedicated to his memory.
The naming of a spacecraft in his honor continues that tradition, but with a special significance: the Cygnus XL will actually fly, circling Earth in the same orbital realm where McCool once piloted Columbia.
Northrop Grumman has long used its Cygnus spacecraft as tributes, each one named after an astronaut or pioneer of spaceflight. This is the fourth Cygnus named after a Columbia crew member, following earlier missions honoring Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, and Laurel Clark.
For Tani and others, seeing McCool’s name emblazoned on the Cygnus is more than symbolic. It is, in a sense, a reunion. “To know that his name will once again ride into space—it’s moving. It means Willie is still flying,” he said.
The Cygnus XL: A Bigger Role for Cargo Runs
The S.S. William C. McCool will not just carry a name. It represents the next step in Northrop Grumman’s uncrewed cargo delivery program. The Cygnus XL is a larger, more capable version of the spacecraft that has been ferrying supplies to the space station since 2014.
Over the past decade, Cygnus vehicles have hauled more than 148,000 pounds of equipment, food, and experiments to the orbiting laboratory. They have also helped dispose of tons of station trash during destructive re-entries.
The XL version, launching for the first time on the NG-23 mission, brings expanded capacity and upgraded systems. It will ride to orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in mid-September, bound for a multi-week stay at the ISS.
On board will be a mix of essential supplies for the Expedition 74 crew and a suite of scientific investigations. Among them are materials to grow semiconductor crystals in microgravity, experiments aimed at improving cryogenic fuel storage, a UV light system designed to prevent bacterial buildup, and pharmaceutical crystal research with potential applications in treating cancer and other diseases.
Inspiration for the Next Generation
For those working on the spacecraft, the name means more than history—it is motivation. Alexa Duarte, a young intern involved in the integration and testing of the Cygnus XL, said carrying McCool’s name forward sets a high bar.
“Following in the footsteps of pioneers like Willie McCool means not only carrying the technical knowledge and responsibility of the job, but also the passion,” Duarte said. “It’s about curiosity—going out there, trying to figure out what’s out there, and pushing human exploration further.”
That spirit, Duarte added, makes her proud to see McCool’s legacy tied directly to a mission she has helped prepare. “When this spacecraft launches, it’s not just cargo. It’s carrying a story.”
Honoring Those Who Came Before
Northrop Grumman’s tradition of naming Cygnus spacecraft has turned into a rolling memorial for spaceflight’s heroes. Past missions have honored legends such as John Glenn, Sally Ride, Katherine Johnson, Gene Cernan, and Apollo astronaut Alan Bean.
More recently, in August 2024, the NG-21 mission flew the S.S. Francis R. “Dick” Scobee, named after the commander of Challenger’s final flight. That spacecraft burned up harmlessly in Earth’s atmosphere in March 2025 after completing its station resupply duties.
The NG-22 mission was scrubbed due to damage to its cargo module during transport, making NG-23 the next in line. Its launch will be the first opportunity to showcase the new XL design and to fly McCool’s name back into orbit.
Carrying His Memory Forward
For the families of Columbia’s crew, every memorial is a reminder of the lives lived—and lives lost—on that mission. But it is also a way of ensuring their loved ones are not forgotten.
William McCool, who once looked down at Earth from 200 miles up, will soon have his name circling the planet once again. This time, it won’t be on the shuttle’s flight deck but on the hull of a spacecraft built to sustain the station and the astronauts who follow.
Dan Tani reflected on what that means for those who knew McCool best. “It’s been more than twenty years, but when you hear his name, the memories are right there. Willie was calm, confident, and kind. Seeing him honored in this way is a reminder that what we do in space is about people—those who fly, those who support, and those we never stop remembering.”
When the Falcon 9 roars off the pad in September, the S.S. William C. McCool will carry with it food, science, and technology. But above all, it will carry a legacy—the enduring presence of a pilot who gave his life for exploration, and whose journey continues every time his name reaches the stars.
