Race against time to save a cosmic sentinel
NASA successfully launched a rescue mission on July 3 to save its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, an orbiting telescope that has been monitoring some of the universe's most powerful cosmic explosions for more than 20 years. Without intervention, Swift would burn up in the atmosphere within months as its orbit decays.
Link spacecraft to grab and boost telescope
The rescue spacecraft, called Link, was built by Katalyst Space Technologies, a small startup based in Flagstaff, Arizona. About the size of a refrigerator, Link will spend about a month catching up to Swift, then grab onto it using three robotic arms and gradually push it into a higher, stable orbit. "We have a really good start to the mission," said Ghonhee Lee, Katalyst's chief executive.
A $30 million gamble on orbital servicing
The Swift Boost Mission represents a $30 million bet that in-orbit servicing technology has matured enough to extend the life of aging satellites. If successful, the mission could open a new market for satellite refueling, repair and reboosting services. The launch, which took place from the Marshall Islands after several days of weather delays, used a Pegasus XL rocket carried aloft by Northrop Grumman's Stargazer aircraft.