OHM Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory 260627

[Voyager_VI]

Launch of Mission to Boost NASA’s Swift Scrubs Due to Weather​

The launch of Katalyst Space’s robotic servicing spacecraft LINK, designed to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, was postponed Tuesday due to unfavorable weather conditions. The next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Wednesday, July 1, at 9:43 p.m. UTC+12 (5:43 a.m. EDT), on Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands.

 

[BrianJ]

"India Today" reports that today's launch was scrubbed due to weather. Possible attempt tomorrow 01 July at 09:43 UTC.


Edit: Ninja'd by Voyager_VI!

 

[GLS]

Hmm, shouldn't the addon and the mission itself have separate threads?

 

[Voyager_VI]

Why? I posted to the discussion of the Mission/Addon to keep it relevant. If I posted over under the live missions heading, it may get lost to someone following the addon and updates to the scenario situation.

 

[BrianJ]

Here's another launch scenario (attched below) for 06:40 UTC 01 July, Swift vectors from JPL Horizons.
If they use the same drop zone as before I estimate drop at:
09:50 UTC 108 azimuth
09:52 UTC 110 azimuth
09:54 UTC 112 azimuth

 

[cybro]

I like this... NASA has a blog for Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory mission updates... Ty NASA... ***

 

[Voyager_VI]

Weather Delays Launch of Mission to Boost NASA’s Swift​

The launch of Katalyst Space’s robotic servicing spacecraft LINK, designed to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, was postponed again Wednesday due to unfavorable weather conditions. The next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Thursday, July 2, at 9:09 p.m. UTC+12 (5:09 a.m. EDT), on Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands.

 

[BrianJ]

Thanks guys. I wondered what had happened today. I always have to dig quite hard to find any updates on this mission.

 

[BrianJ]

Well, here's a launch scenario for tomorrow (attached) starting at 06:00 UTC, Swift vectors from JPL Horizons.
As before, if they use the same drop zone, my estimates for drop times based on Orbiter would be:
09:16 UTC 108 azimuth
09:18 UTC 110 azimuth
09:20 UTC 112 azimuth

Not sure why that doesn't match the 09:09 UTC given in the updates, even accounting for the fact that "Orbiter time" is actually TDB (67s ahead of UTC). Have they changed the drop zone? Is my Orbiter Earth rotation out of whack? Are the vectors from JPL not correct? Is the 09:09 not actually drop time? We'll see

Further thought: I wonder if they use the amount of work Pegasus has to do to align orbit planes to actually determine the size of the final orbit? Larger off-plane distance at drop -> more work to do to align -> lower final orbit. ??

 

[kuddel]

Launch of Swift Boost Mission Delayed, Teams Reviewing Data​

The launch of Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft LINK on Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, was postponed Thursday. After takeoff of the L-1011 aircraft carrying the Pegasus XL, a launch vehicle issue temporarily prevented teams from deploying the rocket. The date of the next launch attempt for this mission to boost NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory will be determined after teams have reviewed data from today’s attempt.

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Source: https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/ rsp. https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swif...t-boost-mission-delayed-teams-reviewing-data/

 

[Voyager_VI]

Launch - July 3, at 8:36 p.m. UTC+12 (4:36 a.m. EDT)​

Northrop Grumman's Stargazer aircraft took off from Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific Ocean, climbed to about 40,000 feet, and dropped a Pegasus XL rocket carrying Katalyst Space's LINK robotic servicing spacecraft. Pegasus XL’s three solid rocket motors fired in sequence to deliver LINK to orbit to boost NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. ​

 

[MarkWatney2015]

The rescue mission is successfully launched today (08:36 UTC)!

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/nasa-successfully-launches-rescue-mission-to-save-swift-space-telescope-from-burning-up-in-earths-atmosphere

 

[BrianJ]

Cool, glad it got into orbit OK
Here's a launch scenario for today, starts at 05:30 UTC, Swift vectors from JPL.
If you go by the reported drop time of 08:36 UTC, and are over the drop zone, a launch azimuth of 105 worked quite well for me (final orbit 360x420km, Rinc. 0.13)