Backup Blog for KaiYves

This image shows what it might look like standing on the surface of a planet orbiting a brown dwarf star. An alien moon can also be seen in the sky. The brown dwarf gives off such feeble visible light it is difficult to see any of the landscape except for the reflection in the water.

2026 July 8

Swift Boost Mission Image Credit: Katalyst Space Text: Cecilia Chirenti (NASA GSFC, UMCP, CRESST II)

Explanation: Sometimes we can all use a little help from a friend. NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory needs a boost to stay in orbit after almost 22 years of service. This video shows an artist's visualization of the Swift Boost Mission: The Katalyst's LINK spacecraft was launched aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket on July 3 and it is now en route to rendezvous with Swift and boost it to a higher orbit over the course of the next several months. This type of maneuver has never been attempted before. If successful, it will be the technology demonstration of a new key capability to extended the lifetime of spacecraft in low Earth orbit, whose orbits decay over time. Swift has an array of instruments that observe the most energetic explosions in the Universe in gamma-rays, X-rays and ultraviolet, and the unique ability to repoint in their direction within tens of seconds. Astronomers around the world, and indeed all fans of cosmic explosions, are anxiously hoping for a successful mission!

Five Photographs shot on Film

In memory of Gray-Card’s Year End Top 5 Photo Extravaganza.

Many thanks @luxlit for hosting!

Iris - Above the Clouds (Kumo no Uye) by an unknown artist.

Japan (circa 1910).

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

Wikimedia.