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NASA races to save the Swift telescope with a $30M robotic rescue mission
AP News • • science
Key Points:
- NASA is launching a $30 million robotic mission this week to save the aging Swift Observatory from falling back to Earth by boosting it to a higher, more stable orbit.
- The rescue spacecraft, named Link and built by startup Katalyst Space Technologies, will autonomously rendezvous with Swift and raise its orbit from 224 miles to 373 miles over several months.
- Swift, launched in 2004, has been rapidly losing altitude due to intense solar activity and was never designed for in-orbit repair, making this a challenging and unprecedented mission for an American space robot.
- If successful, Swift will continue its role in detecting cosmic explosions, complementing upcoming missions like the Webb and Roman Space Telescopes, while Katalyst plans to expand its robotic servicing business to other satellites, including the Hubble Space Telescope.
- NASA officials emphasize the importance of saving Swift, as losing it would mean losing valuable scientific capabilities with no current budget to replace the observatory.
