Launch warning keeps NASA telescope rescue mission on the ground
Northrop Grumman called off a Pegasus rocket release after a warning appeared during flight, delaying NASA’s bid to save Swift.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
A launch attempt aimed at rescuing NASA's Swift Observatory was halted Thursday after Northrop Grumman detected a warning while its carrier aircraft was already airborne, the company said. The delay leaves the salvage effort without a new launch date as NASA tries to keep the space telescope from coming down by October.
Northrop Grumman's rocket-launching plane had taken off from the Marshall Islands in the Pacific, according to the Associated Press. The attempt followed weather delays earlier in the week, AP reported.
The Pegasus rocket was attached to the belly of the aircraft for an air-launch attempt, AP reported. Northrop Grumman said the launch team saw a warning in the data stream during the flight and chose not to release the rocket.
The company did not immediately say whether the warning came from the plane or the rocket, according to AP. With the rocket still aboard the aircraft, the mission remained grounded.
The rocket is carrying a three-armed robotic spacecraft built by Katalyst Space Technologies, AP reported. NASA hired Katalyst Space last September for a $30 million operation to capture Swift and preserve the observatory's mission.
NASA has said Swift is at risk of falling from orbit if help does not arrive. AP reported that the observatory could come down by October without the rescue mission.
NASA paused Swift's science operations earlier this year to stretch out the spacecraft's remaining time in orbit, AP reported. The observatory has been in space since 2004, according to NASA information cited by AP.
Swift's work has centered on high-energy events across the universe. NASA says the telescope has detected thousands of gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars, then alerted other telescopes so they could make more detailed observations.
The delayed launch is the latest setback for a mission built on a tight schedule. NASA turned to Katalyst Space because the agency wants Swift to resume scanning the sky, AP reported.
No replacement launch date has been announced, according to AP. Until Northrop Grumman and mission teams clear the warning that stopped Thursday's attempt, the robotic spacecraft meant to reach Swift remains on the ground.
This story draws on original reporting from Phys.org.