NASA to spend $30 million on unprecedented rescue mission to save aging Swift Observatory from orbital decay

Tariq Malik

1d ago· 11 min readenNews

technology science space exploration nasa missions

Summary

NASA is paying $30 million for a first-of-its-kind rescue mission to boost the aging Swift Observatory, launched in 2004 on a planned two-year mission. The nearly 22-year-old space telescope, which hunts gamma-ray bursts and cosmic explosions, is being dragged out of orbit by higher-than-expected atmospheric drag caused by solar storms. The Swift Boost mission, launching June 27, aims to raise the satellite's orbit and extend its operational life, marking an unprecedented orbital rescue for a NASA science mission.

Source

Twitter / XNASA to spend $30 million on unprecedented rescue mission to save aging Swift Observatory from orbital decayspace.com

Key quotes

· 3 pulled

On paper, it seems like the math would be clear. A nearly 22-year-old space telescope, well past its prime, is falling out of space after decades of hunting the biggest explosions in the universe.

It would cost NASA $30 million to save the telescope, called the Swift Observatory, which the agency launched in 2004 on a planned two-year mission.

Higher-than-expected drag on the satellite from Earth's outer atmosphere (caused by solar storms)

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NASA's daring Swift Boost mission launches June 27 to save the nearly 22-year-old Swift observatory , which is being dragged out of space by Earth's atmosphere.

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