NASA has officially tapped SpaceX to facilitate the launch of the StarBurst mission, a small satellite project aimed at analyzing high-energy cosmic events. The mission is scheduled to lift off no earlier than 2028, utilizing a Falcon 9 rocket as part of a Bandwagon rideshare flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The mission is being procured through NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contract. This agreement operates as a firm-fixed-price task order within a broader 10-year, $1 billion contract framework designed to provide the agency with flexible launch options for smaller payloads.
StarBurst is tasked with monitoring the sky for short gamma-ray bursts, which are intense explosions triggered by the merging of neutron stars. By capturing the initial high-energy emissions from these events, the satellite will provide data that complements gravitational-wave measurements and other telescopic observations. This multi-faceted approach, known as multimessenger astronomy, is intended to deepen scientific understanding of stellar remnants.
Managed by the Launch Services Program Office at Kennedy Space Center, the StarBurst mission falls under the Astrophysics Pioneers Program. This initiative focuses on enabling scientific research through cost-effective, small-scale spacecraft.
Source: NASA
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.