Cambrian Works (Virginia) and Katalyst Space Technologies (Arizona) have each been awarded US$150,000 under Phase III of NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research Program to develop concept designs for a potential orbit boost.
Launched in 2004, Swift has been a leader in detecting and observing gamma-ray bursts – the universe’s most powerful explosions – while also tracking other high-energy events such as stellar flares, comet activity and eruptions in distant galaxies. However, the spacecraft’s low-Earth orbit has been gradually decaying. Increased solar activity has accelerated atmospheric drag, hastening its orbital decline.
NASA says the situation presents a unique opportunity to test in-space servicing technologies while assessing whether boosting Swift would be more cost-effective than replacing its capabilities with a new observatory.
“NASA Science is committed to leveraging commercial technologies to find innovative, cost-effective ways to open new capabilities for the future of the American space sector,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
In parallel, NASA will work with Starfish Space (Washington) to examine whether its Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability system, currently in development to inspect defunct satellites, could be adapted for Swift.
While no decision has been made to proceed with an orbit-boost mission, the concept studies will evaluate the technical feasibility, potential risks and broader benefits for the US space industry. If successful, the technology could have wider applications for extending the life of other satellites and spacecraft.
“Over its extremely productive lifetime, Swift has been a key player in NASA’s network of space telescopes,” said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of NASA’s astrophysics division. “Now, this long-lived mission is presenting us with a new opportunity: partnering with US industry to rapidly explore efficient, state-of-the-art solutions that could extend Swift’s transformative work.”
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center manages the Swift mission in partnership with Penn State, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Northrop Grumman, the UK Space Agency, the University of Leicester, and Italian research institutions.