NASA Swift Boost Spacecraft Prepares to Continue Mission
Katalyst Space uploaded a flight software update that reestablished attitude control of its LINK spacecraft, which is set to boost NASA’s Swift observatory. The post NASA Swift Boost Spacecraft Prepares to Continue Mission appeared first on NASA Science .
NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is set to benefit from an upcoming boost provided by the LINK spacecraft, operated by Katalyst Space. The spacecraft recently received a critical software update, incorporating advanced attitude control algorithms to ensure its stability during orbit-raising maneuvers. These new algorithms will rely on LINK’s remaining actuators to maintain its position as it approaches the Swift observatory.
The Katalyst team has meticulously prepared the LINK spacecraft to successfully capture and raise the Swift observatory to a higher orbital altitude. As the mission progresses, Katalyst will closely monitor LINK’s performance, evaluating its capabilities at each phase of the operation. In the days to come, a series of burns and maneuvers will be executed to align LINK’s orbit with that of the Swift observatory.
Meanwhile, the Swift team continues to implement innovative techniques to enhance its performance. These efforts have already led to a significant reduction in drag and a slowdown in Swift’s orbital decay. Currently, the Swift observatory orbits at an altitude of approximately 216 miles (347 kilometers). However, an orbit-raising maneuver becomes increasingly challenging as the altitude drops below an average of 185 miles (300 kilometers).
For further details on Katalyst’s efforts and ongoing updates on the Swift mission, readers are encouraged to visit Katalyst’s official sources and monitor NASA’s Swift blog.
Written by urgent.news from NASA Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
