NASA’s Swift Boost Mission
On 3rd July 2026, NASA launched the Swift Boost Mission, the first mission designed to extend the operational life of an ageing space observatory by using a privately built servicing spacecraft.
- The mission aims to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which is gradually losing altitude due to atmospheric drag.
Why Does Swift Need Rescue?
- The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory was launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy cosmic events.
- Increased solar activity has increased atmospheric drag, causing the observatory's orbit to gradually decay.
- Since Swift has no onboard propulsion system, it cannot raise its orbit on its own.
- Without intervention, ....
Do You Want to Read More?
Subscribe Now
Take Annual Subscription and get the following Advantage
The annual members of the Civil Services Chronicle can read the monthly content of the magazine as well as the Chronicle magazine archives.
Readers can study all the material before the last six months of the Civil Services Chronicle monthly issue in the form of Chronicle magazine archives.
Related Content
- 1 Brain-Eating Amoeba Cases in Kerala
- 2 GRAPES-3 Muon Telescope Study
- 3 Dengue Vaccines and Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE)
- 4 Varya: Indigenous AI Video Generation Model
- 5 ANCHOR: World's Most Detailed 3D Atlas of the Human Brainstem
- 6 Light-Powered Nano-Catalyst for Green Chemical Manufacturing
- 7 Targeted Nanomedicine for Breast Cancer Therapy
- 8 SkyCast System
- 9 Fibre-Optic Drones
- 10 PM Commissions Three Naval Platforms
- 1 Vikram-1: India's First Private Orbital Rocket
- 2 Indian Researchers Develop New Method to Model the Topside Ionosphere
- 3 Euclid Telescope Discovers the Oldest Known Quasars
- 4 ISRO Tests SOLVE Solid Motor
- 5 ISRO Conducts Three Gaganyaan Tests
- 6 FCC Approves Sunlight Reflection Satellite
- 7 INS Mahendragiri Joins Indian Navy
- 8 INS Malvan
- 9 Indian Researchers Develop Placenta-on-Chip
- 10 MOF Material Removes Tritium Efficiently
- 11 CeNS Develops Ultra-Sensitive Ammonia Sensor
- 12 World's Largest Synchronized Spintronic Network Demonstrated
- 13 White Rabbit-Based Indian Standard Time Distribution Network
- 14 India Launches Once-Weekly Basal Insulin
- 15 ISRO Conducts Gaganyaan IMAT-05 Test
- 16 Mission Drishti Encounters Anomaly After Solar Storm
- 17 WHO Lists First Ebola BDBV Diagnostic Test
- 18 NeoSep1 Trial for Neonatal Sepsis
- 19 India Approves First Dengue Vaccine
