Katalyst’s LINK spacecraft will rendezvous with NASA’s Swift Observatory and raise its orbit this summer.
Katalyst Space Technologies is developing a spacecraft to support NASA's Swift gamma-ray observatory.
NASA's Swift gamma-ray observatory is in low Earth orbit that is decaying.
Katalyst Space Technologies plans to launch the spacecraft supporting Swift in June on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket.
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, and Hubble Space Telescope were used to find GRB 230906A.
Chandra, Swift, and Hubble were used to refine the position of GRB 230906A after Fermi provided a preliminary location.
The researchers analyzed 15 years of data from ground-based radio telescopes and NASA’s Fermi and Swift space telescopes to study OP 313.
Swift studies gamma ray bursts and other energetic cosmic phenomena.
NASA contracted Katalyst Space Technologies of Flagstaff, Arizona to carry out a mission that will boost Swift into a higher orbit.
Swift's average altitude has been steadily declining as a result of atmospheric drag.
Swift has operated in orbit for about 21 years.
Swift normally slews rapidly to observe transient targets such as gamma ray bursts with its suite of telescopes.
The planned servicing effort aims to extend Swift's scientific lifetime while demonstrating an orbital reboost capability applicable to a broader class of spacecraft.
To maximize the chances of a successful reboost, Swift's average altitude must remain above about 185 miles, or roughly 300 kilometers.
As of early February, Swift's orbit had dropped below about 250 miles, around 400 kilometers.
If successful, a boost to a higher orbit will allow Swift to continue rapidly detecting and studying changes in the high-energy universe.
The Burst Alert Telescope will continue detecting gamma ray bursts, but Swift will no longer slew to follow up these events with its other instruments.
Extending Swift's mission life would enable continued rapid-response observations and maintain a key asset for time-sensitive astrophysics.
The Swift observatory has provided nearly daily observations of fleeting gamma ray burst events and has helped scientists investigate their origins and environments.
Distinguishing between a GRB orphan afterglow scenario and a tidal disruption scenario for Askap J005512-255834 will require simultaneous radio observations with ASKAP, MeerKAT, and SKA and X-ray observations with Swift and Einstein Probe.