NASA Science: Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
Launch of the last Pegasus XL rocket was a success.
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| Stargazer © NASA/Ron Beard |
The launch took place last July 3 with the rocket reaching orbit and science teams having successfully established contact with the spacecraft. Now it will take several weeks before it will try to capture and raise the telescope that needs to be saved from its decaying orbit.
NASA Science: Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
Yesterday's launch window was missed again due to a minor glitch that surfaced with the Pegasus rocket but it now seems everything is sorted out. A new attempt will be made today.
From NASA's Swift blog:
After takeoff of the L-1011 aircraft carrying the Pegasus XL, a launch vehicle issue temporarily prevented teams from deploying the rocket.
The launch of Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft LINK, designed to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, is now targeting no earlier than 8:35 p.m. UTC+12 (4:35 a.m. EDT), Friday, July 3, on Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands.
From Space.com:
This is the final flight of the historic Pegasus rocket.
An air-launched Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket will soon fly for the very last time, sending a private spacecraft on a rescue mission to save one of NASA's most iconic space telescopes from falling back to Earth.
Mission postponed again due to unfavorable weather conditions:
The launch of Katalyst Space’s robotic servicing spacecraft LINK, designed to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, was postponed again Wednesday due to unfavorable weather conditions. The next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Thursday, July 2, at 9:09 p.m. UTC+12 (5:09 a.m. EDT), on Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands.
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| Stargazer © NASA/Jamie Adkins |
The launch of Katalyst Space’s robotic servicing spacecraft LINK, designed to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, was postponed Tuesday due to unfavorable weather conditions. The next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Wednesday, July 1, at 9:43 p.m. UTC+12 (5:43 a.m. EDT), on Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands.
Space.com website states that Swift Boost mission will be the last flight of the Pegasus rocket. Will there be another new design of a rocket that can be mated to the L-1011 or will this also mean the final end of an era for the aircraft type too?
An air-launched Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket is scheduled to fly for the very last time early Tuesday morning (June 30), sending a private spacecraft on a rescue mission to save one of NASA's most iconic space telescopes from falling back to Earth.
Full article here:
Space.com: NASA to launch rescue mission
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| Stargazer © NASA/Ron Beard |
Northrop Grumman's Stargazer aircraft will take off from Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific Ocean, climb to about 40,000 feet, and drop a Pegasus XL rocket carrying Katalyst Space's LINK robotic servicing satellite. Pegasus XL’s three solid rocket motors will fire in sequence and deliver LINK to orbit to boost NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.
Full news article:
As announced last year, Stargazer will soon perform another mission, named "Swift Boost" by NASA.
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| Stargazer © NASA/Ron Beard |
Last 18th, the aircraft with the Pegasus XL rocket already mated to it, departed from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility for Kwajalein Atoll where the launch will take place later this month.
NASA set up a special page for this mission:
NASA Science: Swift Boost Mission
Another L-1011 airframe (s/n 193M-1019) was scrapped last May 26. The intention announced last year was now carried out. Air Transat was the last operator of this aircraft that was damaged while flying through a hail storm, in 2001.
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| Farewell N31019 © Airline History Museum |
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| L-1011 N31019 © Airline History Museum |
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| L-1011 CS-TEB @ADJ / Google Maps10-04-2021 |
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| Stargazer © Northrop Grumman |
With the demise of Virgin Orbit and the failure of their modified 747-400, the Pegasus launch system is still a valuable and proven asset and the L-1011 remains the only airborne launch platform for the Pegasus Rocket.
Private mission to save NASA space telescope will launch in 2026 on a rocket dropped from a plane
"It's the only launch vehicle that can meet the orbit, the schedule and the cost to achieve something unprecedented with emerging technology."
The fate of the museum and its hangar was again postponed. New date for a decision is now December 19.
According to the Facebook group Airplane mode, msn 193M-1019, last tail number C-FTNA with Air Transat, will be scrapped and removed from its current parking position. The aircraft, which was parked in LYS since it was caught in-flight in the middle of a hail storm, was rendered a write-off beyond economical repair and was being used as a conference space and for fire fighters training.
Being permanently exposed to the elements and without proper maintenance and cleaning, the aircraft became derelict.
After scrapping and removal, the site will be used as a hydrogen station.
Just a quick update to inform that the decision towards the rights of the hangar space of Airline History Museum was again postponed. This time, a final deliberation is expected this year by November 21.
Airline History Museum (legally Save A Connie, Inc) which runs an aviation museum in Kansas City Airport (MCI) has lost access to its hangar - for more than three years now - while fighting a legal battle against Kansas City Aviation Department and Signature Flight Support who are trying to evict the museum from their facilities at the airport, which would mean the end of it.
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| N700TS, msn 193B-1066 @ MCI |
Airline History Museum has a large and relevant aircraft collection, including a Lockheed Constellation and a Lockheed L-1011.
Although a final decision has been postponed several times, the new deadline is now October 7, 2025. You can follow the case at the museum's website:
This is the current status of the last bearers of a "CS-" registration mark:
As this website is soon to reach its 25th anniversary, I would to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2025.
Northrop Grumman's L-1011 "Stargazer" took off today towards Long Beach Airport to be part of the static aircraft display of this year's "Festival of Flight".
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| Festival of Flight 2024 |
The festival will be held tomorrow at the LGB Airfield:
Generously sponsored by the Port of Long Beach, the lineup of aircraft is expected to include a KC-46 Pegasus, an air-to-air military refueling aircraft; the Flabob Express DC-3, built in 1943 and full of a storied history that includes flying Winston Churchill and the Royal Family; and a Northrup Grumman modified Lockheed L-1011 TriStar that is the only L-1011 still operational. The Condor Squadron will also conduct two flyovers. All aircraft displays are subject to change.
The ferry flight from Mojave to Long Beach took only 27 minutes to complete.
Still no news of CS-TEB being scrapped: