Swift spacecraft rescue mission delayed after launch issue
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Swift spacecraft rescue mission delayed after launch issue
NASA mission to rescue a falling space telescope before it crashes to Earth delayed once again
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Support science … and wonder. Donate to EarthSky and be part of something big. UPDATE, JULY 2: The launch of this daring rescue mission was initially set for June 30, but was postponed two days in a row due to unfavorable weather.
The next launch attempt came at 5:09 a.m. This time, the weather didn’t get in the way, but technical difficulties did. The Pegasus XL rocket carrying the LINK spacecraft is designed to launch from the air, having been dropped by a plane.
But after the L-1011 aircraft reached altitude, a technical issue prevented the rocket from being deployed. As of early Thursday morning, July 2, NASA says they will announce a new launch date after they have reviewed what went wrong. The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, better known as Swift, has been orbiting Earth since 2004.
Swift has been studying the most powerful explosions in the universe: gamma-ray bursts. Now, its orbit is rapidly decaying. Swift is falling back to Earth, and if nothing stops it, it will burn up in our atmosphere this fall in a spectacular, fiery show.
But Swift is still doing great science, so NASA wants to extend the life of the mission. In order to do so, it will have to boost the spacecraft back into a stable orbit. In late 2025, Katalyst Space won a contract with NASA to push Swift back into nearly its original orbit.
Now, their robotic servicing spacecraft – named LINK – is ready. It will launch atop Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific and soar into Swift’s orbit. From there, LINK will grab Swift with extendable arms and carry it to a higher altitude.
The team is aiming for an average altitude higher than about 185 miles (about 300 kilometers) above Earth. This month, a first-of-its-kind mission will launch to boost our Swift observatory before it reenters Earth’s atmosphere. Follow along with this daring, rapid-response effort to advance American spacecraft servicing technology.
However, it’s not been an easy start to the rescue mission. Two days of unfavorable weather and then a technical issue caused the first three launch attempts to be aborted (June 30, July 1 and July 2). As of early Thursday morning, July 2, we are currently awaiting a new launch date.
How 🧬 Live Science Covers It
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. A rescue spacecraft set to speed toward a NASA telescope to prevent it from falling into Earth's atmosphere has been delayed once more. The first-of-its-kind mission was slated for launch at 5:09 a.m.
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