Northrop Grumman Mounts Pegasus XL for Swift Rescue Launch Later This Month
Updated
Updated · Science@NASA · Jun 15
Northrop Grumman Mounts Pegasus XL for Swift Rescue Launch Later This Month
3 articles · Updated · Science@NASA · Jun 15
Summary
Engineers attached a Pegasus XL rocket to Northrop Grumman’s Stargazer aircraft at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on June 12, advancing a launch planned for later this month.
The rocket will carry Katalyst Space’s LINK robotic servicing spacecraft into orbit to raise NASA’s sinking Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.
Recent solar activity intensified atmospheric drag in low Earth orbit, causing Swift’s altitude to fall faster than expected because the observatory lacks propulsion to counter the decay.
Northrop Grumman’s air-launched Pegasus XL was chosen to reach Swift in time for the boost attempt, with launch set from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.