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  • kevin_thibedeau · 3 days ago

    Swift is 10x past its mission lifetime. This is essentially an open demonstration of antisat tech.

    • ButlerianJihad · 3 days ago

      It’s no secret that the world needs antisat technologies, and we’re openly and directly demonstrating it already, but this mission is really different. For example, it’s highly cooperative, because the whole SWIFT team is on the line to maneuver and position their craft for optimal capture.

      I think the most awesome aspect of this mission is the air-launch capability from an ordinary airplane in flight. And they did it without livestream from the Ronald Reagan Missile Test Range. This is truly S.D.I. tech in my lifetime. So many people mocked the President for promoting it…

      • throwaway27448 · 3 days ago

        Antisat like LEO cleanup? Surely there are easier ways to destroy a satellite than launching a new one with arms.

        • dylan604 · 3 days ago

          Doing it cleanly vs creating a debris field in orbit isn't a hard thing to understand why it would be desirable.

        • superxpro12 · 3 days ago

          What was mercury and gemini other than a demonstration of ICBM tech?

        • __patchbit__ · 3 days ago

          Hubble needs a lift and SpaceX have been ready to go on that side quest.

          • pavel_lishin · 3 days ago

            > When it was first launched it sat in an orbit at 373 miles (600 km) and has now lowered to around 220 miles (360 km), with most of that descent in the past two years.

            Hot damn, that's a lot of altitude lost.

            • Ancalagon · 3 days ago

              Dumb question: do most NASA satellites in orbit not have some sort of center of mass hook just in case for operations like these?

              • idontwantthis · 2 days ago

                They do not.