NASA picked SpaceX to launch its StarBurst gamma-ray hunter
StarBurst is a small satellite with a huge target: catching the high-energy flash from neutron star mergers so scientists can pair light with gravitational-wave data.
Original Geekish context based on the sources linked below.
The short version
NASA says it selected SpaceX to launch StarBurst, a small satellite designed to investigate neutron star mergers and the origins of short gamma-ray bursts.
The launch plan
StarBurst is slated to ride a Falcon 9 Bandwagon rideshare mission from Cape Canaveral no earlier than 2028. NASA says the award falls under its VADR launch-services contract.
Why it is geeky
The satellite will watch the sky not blocked by Earth for brief, powerful gamma-ray bursts. NASA says pairing StarBurst detections with gravitational-wave measurements could help researchers study the same cosmic event through multiple signals.
Geekish take
This is the fun kind of small spacecraft: focused, lower-cost, and built to plug into a bigger science network. Tiny satellite, giant cosmic fireworks.
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