NASA launches robotic mission to rescue telescope falling back to Earth
NASA has launched a robotic spacecraft to rescue the aging Swift Observatory, which is losing altitude due to increased solar activity and risks burning up in the atmosphere.
NASA launched a robotic mission on Friday from the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean in an unprecedented attempt to save one of its aging telescopes from crashing back to Earth. The $30 million effort, expected to last several months, involves sending a robot to capture and boost the Swift Observatory, which has been in orbit since 2004.
The Link spacecraft, built by Katalyst Space Technologies and operated by Northrop Grumman, was carried by a Pegasus rocket released from the belly of a modified aircraft. The launch, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was delayed by weather and technical issues before finally lifting off at 0836 GMT.
Swift, a $250 million telescope that studies gamma-ray bursts, has been sinking faster than ever due to recent solar storms. The robotic mission aims to intercept the telescope, dock with it using three robotic arms, and then propel it approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles) higher—back to its original orbital position.
After reaching an orbit close to Swift's in about a month, Link will deploy its solar panels and perform system checks. It will then locate the telescope, circle around it, and dock in a series of maneuvers expected to take several weeks. The final reboost operation will last at least another month.
"This is a lot of firsts stacked on top of each other," Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of NASA's astrophysics division, told reporters on Tuesday. "I'm just deeply thankful that we're even giving this a go." If successful, the mission could pave the way for extending the life of other satellites.
