How a last-minute glitch grounded NASA's telescope rescue mission
What's the story
A crucial mission to save NASA's Swift Observatory has been postponed due to a last-minute launch problem. The issue arose when Northrop Grumman's rocket-launching plane, which was supposed to carry a spacecraft for the operation, encountered a software glitch and had to abort its flight on Thursday. The problem has since been fixed and another attempt is planned for later today.
Mission urgency
The spacecraft and its significance
The spacecraft aboard the Pegasus rocket is a three-armed robotic device designed by Katalyst Space Technologies. Its main job is to capture the aging Swift Observatory, which will crash by October if not rescued. The observatory has been vital for observing cosmic events since its launch in 2004, detecting thousands of gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars.
Preservation measures
Swift's scientific operations halted earlier this year
Earlier this year, NASA had halted Swift's scientific operations to extend its orbital life as much as possible. The space agency is eager to resume the observatory's universe scanning capabilities and had hired Katalyst Space last September for a $30 million salvage operation. However, the launch delay has now put the future of this critical mission in jeopardy.