飞马座XL末次飞行携LINK机器人飞行器救援NASA斯威夫特望远镜,发射推迟至7月1日
诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司的最后一枚飞马座XL火箭计划携带LINK机器人服务飞行器与NASA斯威夫特伽马射线空间望远镜交会;6月30日的发射尝试因高空风中止;新的发射窗口定于7月1日09:43 UTC,从范登堡太空军基地出发
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LAUNCH CONFIRMED. The Northrop Grumman L-1011 Stargazer dropped the Pegasus XL at 08:36 UTC on July 3 over Kwajalein Atoll; all three Pegasus stages performed nominally and LINK separated into orbit approximately 10 minutes after drop. Katalyst Space confirmed healthy communication with LINK. Initial systems checkouts will take several days, after which LINK will spend two to three weeks observing Swift's tumble rate from a distance before beginning final rendezvous and grapple. The July 3 launch is the final flight of the Pegasus XL; the rocket family has completed 47 missions since 1990 and leaves no successor air-launch system in active service worldwide. ↗
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The June 30 launch attempt was scrubbed before the L-1011 Stargazer could drop the Pegasus XL over Kwajalein Atoll due to unfavorable weather; NASA rescheduled the attempt to no earlier than July 1 at 09:43 UTC (5:43 a.m. EDT). The pre-launch brief confirmed LINK will use LiDAR to map Swift's tumble rate before gripping the observatory's transportation flanges, the only structural attachment points on a satellite never designed for servicing. ↗
摘要
诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司的最后一枚飞马座XL火箭计划携带LINK(在轨寿命延长导航与机动)机器人服务飞行器与NASA斯威夫特伽马射线空间望远镜交会。从范登堡太空军基地出发的6月30日发射尝试因高空风中止,新的发射尝试定于7月1日09:43 UTC。由卡塔利斯特太空技术公司建造的LINK将执行自主交会、附着、燃料加注和轨道调整,以将斯威夫特的运行寿命延长五至七年。斯威夫特自2014年起已超设计寿命运行。
为何重要
LINK任务是首次尝试对运行中的NASA科学望远镜进行机器人服务,也是针对美国政府科学资产的首个商业在轨服务任务。若获成功,将验证自主交会和燃料加注技术,其规模适用于未来政府和商业卫星群的卫星寿命延长服务。飞马座XL在执行自1990年以来共47次轨道任务后退役,标志着空射小卫星时代的终结,以及小型发射市场向地面发射型运载火箭的整合。
关注要点
- 7月1日发射尝试:09:43 UTC窗口的高空风是否能消散
- LINK与斯威夫特的自主交会:捕获机动是风险最高的阶段
- 燃料转移是否成功,以及斯威夫特的轨道参数是否按计划调整
- 商业意义:任务成功将为拥有老化资产的卫星运营商验证在轨服务技术