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Mission To Boost NASAs Swift Launches From Marshall Islands

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"That there will not be a manned flight to Mars in 2028, nor in 2031, and probably not for twenty years after that."

"I'd say that [2040] is an audacious goal for us to meet."

"I’m thinking somewhere between 2040 and 2050."

"Humans are unlikely to step foot on Mars until the 2040s/2050s at the earliest, and there’ll never be a significant human settlement there because Mars is basically uninhabitable."

"Since nothing ever seems to go exactly according to plan, I'd expect something more like 2040."

"Space agencies hoping to send crewed missions to Mars by the early 2030s will either have to double down on their budgets or settle for less ambitious missions."

"And if we persevere on this pathway, we can reach Mars itself before 2035."

"We want to achieve a Mars landing in 2033."

"Humans will set out for Mars in the 2029 or 2031 windows, most likely."

"I think that the first human mission to Mars will take place about 2030, even though it is not currently on NASA’s schedule or any other space agency."

"Human landings [on Mars] may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely."

Will humans be sent to Mars before 2036?

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts has been losing altitude faster than expected, with recent solar activity accelerating its descent. Without intervention, the telescope was predicted to reenter Earth's atmosphere by October.

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts has been losing altitude faster than expected, with recent solar activity accelerating its descent. Without intervention, the telescope was predicted to reenter Earth's atmosphere by October.

A rescue spacecraft called LINK, built by Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies under a $30 million NASA contract, launched July 3 from the Marshall Islands. The mission came after multiple delays due to weather and a software issue.

A rescue spacecraft called LINK, built by Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies under a $30 million NASA contract, launched July 3 from the Marshall Islands. The mission came after multiple delays due to weather and a software issue.

LINK was released from Northrop Grumman's L-1011 Stargazer aircraft at 40,000 feet and carried into orbit by a Pegasus XL rocket, marking the final flight of the Pegasus XL before its retirement. The 940-pound spacecraft is equipped with three robotic arms and ion thrusters.

LINK was released from Northrop Grumman's L-1011 Stargazer aircraft at 40,000 feet and carried into orbit by a Pegasus XL rocket, marking the final flight of the Pegasus XL before its retirement. The 940-pound spacecraft is equipped with three robotic arms and ion thrusters.

Katalyst designed, built and tested LINK in roughly eight to nine months after NASA awarded the contract in September 2025. NASA's astrophysics division director Shawn Domagal-Goldman described the mission as "high-risk, high-reward."

Katalyst designed, built and tested LINK in roughly eight to nine months after NASA awarded the contract in September 2025. NASA's astrophysics division director Shawn Domagal-Goldman described the mission as "high-risk, high-reward."

After several weeks of systems checks, LINK will spend about a month approaching Swift before using its robotic arms to secure the observatory. It will then fire ion thrusters to gradually raise Swift's orbit from roughly 220 miles to its original altitude of about 370 miles.

After several weeks of systems checks, LINK will spend about a month approaching Swift before using its robotic arms to secure the observatory. It will then fire ion thrusters to gradually raise Swift's orbit from roughly 220 miles to its original altitude of about 370 miles.

Swift has detected more than 2,000 gamma-ray burst sources since launch and has expanded its observations to include comets, black holes and gravitational waves. A successful rescue could extend the observatory's operational life by approximately a decade.

Swift has detected more than 2,000 gamma-ray burst sources since launch and has expanded its observations to include comets, black holes and gravitational waves. A successful rescue could extend the observatory's operational life by approximately a decade.

NASA Launches Mission to Rescue Falling Telescope

NASA Launches Mission to Rescue Falling Telescope

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NASA Launches Mission to Rescue Falling Telescope

NASA Launches Mission to Rescue Falling Telescope

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