NASA selects SpaceX to launch a gamma-ray telescope into an unusual orbit
NASA selected SpaceX to launch the COSI mission in 2027, studying gamma-rays from star explosions and new atomic nuclei in the Milky Way. Falcon 9 will place the spacecraft in a unique equatorial orbit.
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NASA has chosen SpaceX to launch the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) mission in 2027. The mission aims to study gamma-rays emitted by massive star explosions and the creation of new atomic nuclei in the Milky Way galaxy. COSI will also investigate positron annihilation and short gamma-ray bursts. The spacecraft will be placed in an unusual orbit over the equator to avoid radiation interference. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket will deliver COSI into this orbit, requiring a significant plane change maneuver. NASA awarded SpaceX a $69 million contract for the launch, as Falcon 9 is currently the only rocket capable of carrying COSI into its designated orbit. The mission, with a budget of $267 million to $294 million, was selected through NASA's Explorers program and will provide valuable insights into various astrophysical phenomena.
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5 commentsAnd there's no way to enter one without a plane change unless you're launching from the equator already, so that's not unusual either. All geostationary satellites are in (far higher) equitorial orbits, for example.
> $69 million
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