Spitzer Resurrector Mission - 2026

[Rocinante]

Некая частная компания Rhea Space Activity объявила о получении гранта от US Space Force размером в 250 тысяч $ на разработку миссии Spitzer Resurrector Mission, целью которой заявляется возвращение к жизни космического телескопа Spitzer, прекратившего работу в январе 2020-го. Согласно плану, небольшой аппарат (метр на метр) будет запущен в 2026-м году и три года потратит на дорогу к спящему телескопу. Добравшись до цели, SRM попытается "разбудить спящего гиганта", вернуть его в рабочий режим и послужит ретранслятором данных между Землёй и телескопом

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/632904331/rhea-space-activity-awarded-a-ussf-contract-to-investigate-telerobotic-resurrection-of-the-spitzer-space-telescope

Rhea Space Activity (RSA) announces that it has been selected by SpaceWERX for a STTR Phase I in the amount of $250,000 to develop the Spitzer Resurrector Mission. This spacecraft would travel to NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to service and restore it to operations, and thereby demonstrate the "In-space Service Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM)" techniques being explored by the Department of the Air Force (DAF) and United States Space Force (USSF). Spitzer Resurrector plans to launch by 2026. Rhea Space Activity is partnered with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Blue Sun Enterprises, and Lockheed Martin.

Originally launched in 2003 as the last of NASA's four Great Observatories, the Spitzer Space Telescope's lifetime design goal was five years. Instead, the spacecraft performed its mission for more than 16 years. Spitzer orbits the Sun at one astronomical unit (AU) in an Earth-trailing orbit, and is currently is about 2 AU away from the Earth on the other side of the Sun (one AU is the average Earth-Sun distance). In its current location direct communications with Earth are not possible. Although it was working perfectly and was heavily in demand by the scientific community, in response to the challenging orbit NASA decided to retire it in 2020, placing it in safe mode. Spitzer Resurrector is designed to restart Spitzer, confirm that it has been restored it to its original performance capabilities, and then to remain nearby to act as a high-rate data relay to Earth, thus restoring Spitzer to its full efficiency.

Spitzer-Resurrector is a telerobotic servicing spacecraft that would travel over 186 million miles to Spitzer in order to return it to service. Once "resurrected," Spitzer will be used to detect and characterize potentially hazardous Near Earth Objects, a scientific program that Spitzer originally helped pioneer with its sensitive infrared detectors. It can also continue to perform astronomical observations.

[Старый]

Плюс к невероятной сумме пробуждение телескопа финансирует не НАСА а Военно-космические силы США. 

[gabshire]

Некая частная компания Rhea Space Activity объявила о получении гранта от US Space Force размером в 250 тысяч $ на разработку миссии Spitzer Resurrector Mission, целью которой заявляется возвращение к жизни космического телескопа Spitzer, прекратившего работу в январе 2020-го. Согласно плану, небольшой аппарат (метр на метр) будет запущен в 2026-м году и три года потратит на дорогу к спящему телескопу. Добравшись до цели, SRM попытается "разбудить спящего гиганта", вернуть его в рабочий режим и послужит ретранслятором данных между Землёй и телескопом
https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/632904331/rhea-space-activity-awarded-a-ussf-contract-to-investigate-telerobotic-resurrection-of-the-spitzer-space-telescope basketball stars

Rhea Space Activity (RSA) announces that it has been selected by SpaceWERX for a STTR Phase I in the amount of $250,000 to develop the Spitzer Resurrector Mission. This spacecraft would travel to NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to service and restore it to operations, and thereby demonstrate the "In-space Service Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM)" techniques being explored by the Department of the Air Force (DAF) and United States Space Force (USSF). Spitzer Resurrector plans to launch by 2026. Rhea Space Activity is partnered with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Blue Sun Enterprises, and Lockheed Martin.
Originally launched in 2003 as the last of NASA's four Great Observatories, the Spitzer Space Telescope's lifetime design goal was five years. Instead, the spacecraft performed its mission for more than 16 years. Spitzer orbits the Sun at one astronomical unit (AU) in an Earth-trailing orbit, and is currently is about 2 AU away from the Earth on the other side of the Sun (one AU is the average Earth-Sun distance). In its current location direct communications with Earth are not possible. Although it was working perfectly and was heavily in demand by the scientific community, in response to the challenging orbit NASA decided to retire it in 2020, placing it in safe mode. Spitzer Resurrector is designed to restart Spitzer, confirm that it has been restored it to its original performance capabilities, and then to remain nearby to act as a high-rate data relay to Earth, thus restoring Spitzer to its full efficiency.
Spitzer-Resurrector is a telerobotic servicing spacecraft that would travel over 186 million miles to Spitzer in order to return it to service. Once "resurrected," Spitzer will be used to detect and characterize potentially hazardous Near Earth Objects, a scientific program that Spitzer originally helped pioneer with its sensitive infrared detectors. It can also continue to perform astronomical observations.

Как будто этого было недостаточно, счет за пробуждение телескопа оплачивает ВМС США, а не НАСА.

[opinion]

Плюс к невероятной сумме пробуждение телескопа финансирует не НАСА а Военно-космические силы США.

Вот бы российские ВКС оплатили восстановление какого-нибудь телескопа.