Swift Spacecraft Orbit Boost – Pegasus XL, L-1011 "Stargazer" – Маршаловы острова – 01.06.2026

[Rocinante]

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-company-to-attempt-swift-spacecraft-orbit-boost/

Driving rapid innovation in the American space industry, NASA has awarded Katalyst Space Technologies of Flagstaff, Arizona, a contract to raise a spacecraft's orbit. Katalyst's robotic servicing spacecraft will rendezvous with NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and raise it to a higher altitude, demonstrating a key capability for the future of space exploration and extending the Swift mission's science lifetime.

Спойлер

NASA's Swift launched in 2004 to explore the universe's most powerful explosions, called gamma-ray bursts. The spacecraft's low Earth orbit has been decaying gradually, which happens to satellites over time. However, because of recent increases in the Sun's activity, Swift is experiencing more atmospheric drag than anticipated, speeding up its orbital decay. While NASA could have allowed the observatory to reenter Earth's atmosphere, as many missions do at the end of their lifetimes, Swift's lowering orbit presents an opportunity to advance American spacecraft servicing technology.

[свернуть]

The orbit boost is targeted for spring 2026, though NASA will continue to monitor any changes in solar activity that may impact this target timeframe. A successful Swift boost would be the first time a commercial robotic spacecraft captures a government satellite that is uncrewed, or not originally designed to be serviced in space.

NASA has awarded Katalyst $30 million to move forward with implementation under a Phase III award as an existing participant in NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, managed by the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate. This approach allowed NASA to pursue an orbit boost for Swift on a shorter development timeline than would otherwise be possible, given the rapid rate at which Swift's orbit is decaying.

NASA заключила контракт с компанией Katalyst Space Technologies на запуск спутника для подъёма орбиты телескопа Swift, запущенного ещё в 2004-м году. Телескоп и так теряет высоту с течением времени, но недавний всплеск солнечной активности привёл к раздутию земной атмосферы, что привело к ещё большему снижению. Пуск спутника-буксира намечен на весну 2026-го года

[Rocinante]

https://www.katalystspace.com/post/katalyst-selects-northrop-grumman-pegasus-rocket-for-robotic-rescue-mission

Katalyst Selects Northrop Grumman Pegasus Rocket for Robotic Rescue Mission

Katalyst Space Technologies has selected Northrop Grumman's Pegasus XL air-launched rocket to deliver its robotic spacecraft to orbit for Katalyst's upcoming NASA Swift Rescue Mission. Katalyst is building a first-of-its-kind orbital servicing spacecraft to boost Swift's orbit before it reenters, with launch scheduled for June 2026. The mission aims to reposition NASA's long-lived Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory into a higher orbit to extend its scientific operations

Компания Katalyst Space Technologies выбрала ракету Pegasus XL в качестве носителя своего аппарата, призванного поднять орбиту космического телескопа Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory в целях продления работы. Пуск намечен на июнь 2026

Swift's orbit at 20.6° inclination is difficult to reach from U.S. launch sites, where most small rockets are limited by launch site to inclinations above ~27°. Pegasus, carried aloft by Northrop Grumman's L-1011 Stargazer aircraft and released midair at 39,000 feet, offers the flexibility to launch from virtually anywhere on Earth, making it one of the few viable systems capable of achieving Swift's orbit on a highly compressed timeline

Swift обращается на орбите с наклонением в 20.6°, что ограничивает пуски малых ракет с американских стартовых площадок. Тогда как Pegasus, запускаемый с самолёта Northrop Grumman's L-1011 Stargazer, предлагает гибкость в месте и наклонении запусков аппаратов

[Rocinante]

https://www.katalystspace.com/post/katalyst-develops-design-for-nasa-to-rescue-500m-space-telescope

Вы не можете просматривать это вложение.

https://www.katalystspace.com/post/nasa-telescope-is-about-to-fall-out-of-the-sky

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, has spent two decades capturing key data on gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe. Swift remains fully operational, but orbital decay gives it a 50% chance of uncontrolled reentry by mid-2026, increasing to 90% by the end of 2026

Телескоп Swift, запущенный в 2004-м, остаётся полностью работоспособным, однако из-за торможения существует 50% вероятность неконтролируемого падения в середине, которая к концу года возрастёт до 90 %

Unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, which was serviced by astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle, Swift was never designed to be captured, much less rescued. There are no docking ports or grappling fixtures to grab onto. Instead, Katalyst's servicer will rely on a custom-built robotic capture mechanism that will attach to a feature on the satellite's main structure--without damaging sensitive instruments. Demonstrating this kind of delicate, do-no-harm servicing on an unprepared satellite would be a first for NASA, and has the potential to unlock a new era of on-orbit servicing where satellites can be routinely and regularly serviced instead of thrown away

В отличие от Hubble Space Telescope, Swift не предусматривал никаких сервисных миссий с возможностью стыковки с дельнейшими обслуживанием и подъёмом орбиты. Поэтому аппарат от Katalyst будет оснащён специальным захватывающим механизмом, который обеспечит контакт с неподготовленным спутником без опасности повредить чувствительные инструменты. Подобная миссия станет первой для NASA и открывает возможности продления жизни подобных спутников на регулярной основе

[Athlon]

Katalyst Selects Northrop Grumman Pegasus Rocket for Robotic Rescue Mission

Я думал, что она уже выведена из эксплуатации. Ее лет пять не запускали.

[anik]

Я думал, что она уже выведена из эксплуатации. Ее лет пять не запускали.

Последняя осталась — чего бы не использовать.

[D:\]

Это единственный американский носитель лёгкого класса, способный вывести буксир на наклонение 20 градусов. Не к китайцам же обращаться...

[OlegN]

Это единственный американский носитель лёгкого класса, способный вывести буксир на наклонение 20 градусов. Не к китайцам же обращаться...

Дык , зачем к китайцам ... Французы ведь есть . Хотя...

[D:\]

Важно другое. За год SWIFT просел в высоте на 60 км (сейчас 420 км). Т.е. запаса времени на переносы миссии у стартапа будет немного.

[Athlon]

Я думал, что она уже выведена из эксплуатации. Ее лет пять не запускали.

Последняя осталась — чего бы не использовать.

Да, действительно, нашел что в 2019 году были в наличии две ракеты, которые Stratolaunch заказал, а затем отказался от них. Одну из них израсходовали в 2021 году, и вот теперь пришло время второй -  https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/10/10/rockets-purchased-by-stratolaunch-back-under-northrop-grumman-control/

[zandr]

https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/04/17/testing-begins-for-katalyst-nasa-swift-boost-mission/

^{Jeanette Kazmierczak   April 17, 2026 3:23PM}
Testing Begins for Katalyst-NASA Swift Boost Mission

^{Engineers from Katalyst Space Technologies unpack their LINK robotic servicing spacecraft at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., on April 14, 2026. The satellite will undergo vibration and thermal testing at NASA Goddard ahead of launch later this year. Once in space, LINK will attempt to rendezvous with NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and boost it into a higher orbit.   NASA/Sophia Roberts}

On April 14, engineers from Katalyst Space Technologies arrived at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to begin environmental tests of the company's LINK robotic servicing spacecraft in preparation for its launch later this year.

Спойлер

NASA contracted Katalyst, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, to raise the orbit of the agency's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory before it re-enters Earth's atmosphere.
"It's only been about seven months since NASA awarded Katalyst a contract to attempt to boost Swift with the company's LINK satellite," said S. Bradley Cenko, Swift's principal investigator at NASA Goddard. "Combined with our changes to science operations, the teams are creating the best opportunity possible to extend Swift's lifetime and continue its legacy of cosmic exploration."
All spacecraft in low Earth orbit experience drag caused by our planet's atmosphere, which gradually reduces their altitudes if they do not have propulsion systems to maintain their positions. A recent bout of increased solar activity magnified this effect on Swift, which began to sink faster than anticipated.
NASA is working with Katalyst to boost the 21-year-old observatory to its original orbit, pioneering a new servicing capability for the nation's spacecraft fleet and allowing Swift to resume science observations.
In February, the Swift team suspended the operation of its Ultraviolet/Optical and X-ray telescopes to reduce drag and slow the spacecraft's orbital decay. The change extended the available timeline for attempting boost operations by several months.
On April 7, the team also halted observations by Swift's Burst Alert Telescope to reduce power consumption. This allows operations personnel to further reduce drag by optimally positioning the satellite's solar panels.
"Swift is still producing valuable scientific data, and we have a way to preserve that while setting a blueprint for how we operate in space," said Ghonhee Lee, Katalyst's chief executive officer. "The Swift boost mission is designed to extend the life of an existing spacecraft, one not designed for servicing, quickly and cost effectively. NASA is leading the shift toward more flexible ways of operating in space by working with companies like Katalyst to get more out of its missions and deliver the best return for taxpayers."
Katalyst will move forward with LINK's vibration and thermal tests using NASA Goddard's in-house facilities in the coming weeks before installation into Northrop Grumman's Pegasus rocket at the agency's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

[свернуть]

Начались испытания аппарата...

[zandr]

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/8045/

Swift Rescue Mission
Liftoff Time
No Earlier Than June 1, 2026

Mission Details
Katalyst's robotic servicing spacecraft will rendezvous with NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and raise it to a higher altitude, demonstrating a key capability for the future of space exploration and extending the Swift mission's science lifetime.
Manufacturer: Katalyst Space Technologies
Operator: Katalyst Space Technologies
Low Earth Orbit
1 Payload

Rocket
Pegasus XL rocket by Northrop Grumman
...
Launch Site
Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, Marshall Islands