【特稿】美国初创企业拟发射航天器抬升卫星轨道

Group 1 - NASA has signed a $30 million contract with a startup to launch a spacecraft to raise the orbit of the Swift Observatory satellite, which is at risk of falling to Earth [1] - The Swift Observatory, launched in November 2004, is experiencing a decline in its orbital altitude due to increased atmospheric drag from heightened solar activity, with a 90% probability of re-entering the atmosphere by the end of next year [1] - The satellite, valued at $500 million, is currently in low Earth orbit at an altitude of 585 kilometers and is used for observing distant galaxies and black holes [1] Group 2 - The startup, Katalyst Space Technologies, plans to modify its "Connector" spacecraft starting in October, with a launch scheduled for May 2026 to rescue the aging satellite [1] - A key challenge for this mission is to develop a docking system compatible with the old satellite, which was not designed for such interactions [1] - Katalyst Space Technologies has invested $25 million in developing the "Connector" and aims to keep its cost around $10 million [2]