NASA launches robotic mission to rescue telescope falling back to Earth

A robotic spacecraft has launched on an unprecedented mission to rescue NASA's Swift Observatory, an aging telescope in danger of crashing back to Earth. The Link spacecraft, built by Katalyst Space Technologies, lifted off from the Marshall Islands on Friday aboard a Pegasus rocket.

The $30 million mission aims to capture the Swift telescope, which has been falling faster than expected due to recent solar storms. Launched in 2004, the $250 million telescope studies gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe.

If the mission succeeds, the Link spacecraft will deploy its solar panels, locate Swift in orbit, and use its three robotic arms to dock and capture the telescope. It will then attempt to propel Swift about 300 kilometers higher, returning it to a stable orbit. This complex operation is expected to take several months and could pave the way for giving other satellites a second life.

"This is a lot of firsts stacked on top of each other," said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of NASA's astrophysics division. "I'm just deeply thankful that we're even giving this a go."

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This is a lot of firsts stacked on top of each other. I'm just deeply thankful that we're even giving this a go.