UPDATE: A Successful Software / Guidance Link Package Reconfig -- By Katalyst Space... Means A Shot At Boosting Swift Will Still Be Attempted, In A Few Weeks...

There are still lots of things that might yet go wrong, anew -- for this reconfigured mission, but the teams did clear a major hurdle this week.

The newly redesigned software was uploaded, to allow Link to operate and navigate. . . with only one gyro wheel functional.

Now the trick will be to fly the craft safely into an orbital attitude that will allow an approach to the aging Swift 'scope. Here's the latest, from NASA though, as of Tuesday:

. . .Katalyst Space successfully uploaded a flight software update for its LINK spacecraft, which is set to boost NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to a higher orbit. The software update’s new attitude control algorithms are designed to maintain LINK’s stability using the spacecraft’s remaining actuators.

The team’s work has prepared LINK to continue its approach toward Swift, before attempting to capture and raise Swift to a higher orbital altitude. Katalyst will continue to work closely with NASA, evaluating LINK’s performance at each phase, as the team performs a series of burns and maneuvers in the coming days to align LINK’s orbit with Swift.

In the meantime, the Swift team continues with its innovative new approach to operating the observatory, which has successfully reduced drag and slowed Swift’s orbital decay. Swift is currently at an altitude of about 216 miles (347 kilometers). An orbit-raising maneuver would become more difficult below an average altitude of about 185 miles (300 kilometers). . . .

Now you know -- with lots of miles ahead, by air here too. Smile.

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