NASA has selected SpaceX to launch the StarBurst satellite, a mission focused on studying neutron star mergers and gamma-ray bursts. The spacecraft will monitor the sky to detect high-energy emissions from these stellar events, contributing to multimessenger astronomy research.
The mission will launch on a Falcon 9 rocket as part of a Bandwagon rideshare flight. The launch is scheduled to take place from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with a target date no earlier than 2028.
The agreement is a firm-fixed-price task order under the VADR contract, which covers a 10-year period with a total value of up to $1 billion. The StarBurst project is part of the Astrophysics Pioneers Program, which utilizes small spacecraft for cost-effective scientific research.
