Space Stories: Swift Recovery, Saudi Space Sight-seeing Plans, and Ukrainian Reprisals in Russia

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Artist rendering of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory in orbit with parts of spacecraft highlighted. (NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab)

Here are some recent space-related stories.

—Science Alert: “Heads Up: NASA to Launch ‘Daring’ Telescope Rescue Mission This Week“

NASA will soon attempt something it’s never done before: Save a space telescope from falling back to Earth using a servicing robot. It sounds like something right out of a sci-fi film, but NASA is hoping it might be enough to keep its sinking Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory in action a little longer. According to the US space agency, the mission could launch as soon as this Tuesday 30 June, 6:17 am EDT (10:17 UTC), and we’ll be keeping you updated on the progress. If this mission works, the much-beloved Hubble Space Telescope is one of the next targets to have its life extended.

—The National News: “Stellar Places to Watch the Night Sky Across the Arab World“

Saudi Arabia has announced plans for AlUla Manara, a major astronomical observatory and research centre in the kingdom’s north-west…AlUla Manara is planned to include large telescopes, observation platforms, exhibitions, interactive experiences, a planetarium, a restaurant and a visitor and research centre. The project is intended to support scientific research as well as public astronomy experiences. No opening date has been announced.

—MSN: “Ukraine Strikes Russian Space Hub as Nuclear Orbit Fears Grow“

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed its forces struck the Vladimir Space Communications Center near Gus-Khrustalny on 22 June, destroying the main 25‑metre parabolic antenna, damaging satellite modem halls, multiplexers, and cooling systems. Additional damage to the Main Hardware and Software Complex and a key technical building severely degraded Russia’s satellite operations…The Vladimir facility plays a central role in Russia’s satellite communications, and its loss comes amid accusations that Moscow has manoeuvred satellites near European systems used by Ukraine, causing GPS disruption across Europe, Greenland, and Canada.

Note: Here is the podcast version of this post.