NASA Launches Daring Mission to Rescue Decaying Swift Observatory
WASHINGTON – In a first-of-its-kind endeavor, NASA is partnering wiht American aerospace startup Katalyst Space Technologies to attempt a dramatic rescue of the Swift Gamma-Ray Observatory, a vital space-based telescope facing imminent orbital decay.The mission, announced today, aims to prevent the observatory from falling out of orbit and perhaps causing harm upon re-entry, while preserving its nearly two decades of valuable scientific data collection.
The Swift Observatory studies gamma rays from low Earth orbit,providing crucial insights into high-energy astrophysical phenomena. However, its orbit is rapidly deteriorating, prompting NASA to devise an unconventional solution: redirecting the telescope using a rocket launched from a plane.
The plan involves launching a Pegasus XL rocket from Northrop Grumman‘s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft. The rocket will deploy a robotic spacecraft designed to grapple with Swift and boost it into a more stable orbit.
“Given how quickly Swift’s orbit is decaying, we are in a race against time,” stated Shawn Domagal-goldman, acting director of NASA’s Astrophysics Division. “But by leveraging commercial technologies already in growth, we will face this challenge head on.”
Katalyst Space Technologies CEO Ghonhee Lee emphasized the unique capabilities of the chosen hardware. “It is the onyl launch vehicle that can meet the orbit, schedule and cost to achieve something unprecedented with emerging technology.”
Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 Stargazer is already equipped for the mission, requiring only final integration, testing, and software development, according to company director of space launch, kurt Eberly. ”We have to do the final integration and testing, and develop the trajectory and guidance…but that’s all.”
Katalyst’s vice president of technology, Kieran Wilson, affirmed the company’s commitment: “We assume this launch date as a firm commitment. We will continually evaluate Swift’s status in its orbital decay and determine what type of accommodations we might need.”
The mission represents a significant step in utilizing commercial space technologies for critical orbital maintenance and debris mitigation, potentially setting a precedent for safeguarding valuable space assets in the future.
