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A Mission to Save NASA’s Swift Telescope Launches to Orbit
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- NASA successfully launched a rescue mission to save the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory telescope from burning up in Earth's atmosphere by boosting it to a higher orbit.
- The rescue spacecraft, Link, built by Katalyst Space Technologies, was launched aboard a Pegasus XL rocket dropped from a Lockheed L-1011 jetliner over the Pacific Ocean.
- Link will gradually raise Swift's orbit over two months before releasing it 100 miles higher, allowing the telescope to continue its gamma-ray burst observations for another decade.
- Swift, launched in 2004 with an expected two-year lifespan, experienced accelerated orbital decay due to increased solar activity, prompting NASA to fund the $30 million rescue effort.
- NASA views the mission as a high-risk but valuable attempt to extend Swift's operational life, avoiding the time and expense of building a replacement telescope.
