NASA Restarts 2 Swift Instruments as Failed Boost Cuts Orbit Margin to 1-2 Months
Updated
Updated · Science@NASA · Aug 27
NASA Restarts 2 Swift Instruments as Failed Boost Cuts Orbit Margin to 1-2 Months
3 articles · Updated · Science@NASA · Aug 27
Summary
Aug. 26 marked Swift’s return to science operations with its X-ray and Ultraviolet/Optical telescopes back on after months in low-drag mode.
The restart followed NASA’s decision to scale back Katalyst Space’s boost mission after LINK developed attitude-control problems and could no longer capture and raise the observatory.
A third instrument, the Burst Alert Telescope, has been offline since April to save power for drag-reducing spacecraft orientation; NASA expects it back within weeks.
300 kilometers is the key threshold: NASA says resuming observations means Swift will likely fall below that altitude within one to two months, when operations become harder and descent accelerates.
Swift, in orbit for 21 years without its own propulsion, has been sinking faster than expected because recent solar activity increased atmospheric drag in low Earth orbit.