LINK Spacecraft Recovery Progressing for NASA’s Swift Boost
Teams have successfully reduced the spin of Katalyst Space’s LINK, which is designed to boost NASA’s Swift to a higher orbital altitude. The post LINK Spacecraft Recovery Progressing for NASA’s Swift Boost appeared first on NASA Science .
NASA's LINK spacecraft, designed to assist in boosting the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to a higher orbit, has made significant progress in its recovery process. The robotic spacecraft, operated by Katalyst Space, has successfully reduced the spin rate of LINK from 9 degrees per second to approximately 1.47 degrees per second. This reduction in spin was achieved through a series of controlled burns from one of LINK's electric propulsion thrusters.
The team is now set to maintain this reduced spin rate as they move forward with the mission. In the coming days, Katalyst plans to upload a flight software update to LINK. This update will incorporate new attitude controllers, specifically designed to ensure the stability of LINK in its current configuration. These enhancements will ultimately enable LINK to begin the process of maneuvering and aligning itself with the orbit of the Swift Observatory.
For further updates and detailed information, interested parties can refer to Katalyst's official communications and monitor NASA's Swift blog at https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift.
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