Swift thinking buys NASA observatory a little more time before re-entry
Rescue mission might have until the end of summer after science operations halted
NASA's decision to halt most science operations on its Swift observatory has paid off. Estimates now put the spacecraft's descent past the point of no return to the end of summer rather than the start.
The space agency presented the latest set of re-entry forecasts for the spacecraft, which now point to a descent below the critical altitude of 300 km (185 miles) in September rather than July. The figure is important, since the higher the spacecraft is, the better the chances of a successful rescue mission.
Scientists continually update forecasts for the orbital decay of spacecraft. Once a mission is within two years of re-entry, those forecasts are updated more frequently. In November 2023, forecasts suggested Swift was entering that two-year window. Others estimated it would remain in orbit well into the 2030s.
However, the outlook...
Copyright of this story solely belongs to theregister.com. To see the full text click HERE
