NASA is preparing for a first-of-its-kind mission to save a telescope in orbit from falling to Earth. The mission could begin as soon as 6:23 am ETtoday.
Swift is a $500M observatory launched in 2004 that detects gamma-ray bursts triggered by the deaths of massive stars (explore learnings, w/illustrations). It is falling to Earth sooner than expected due to a recent uptick in solar storms, which can increase drag on satellites, causing them to lose altitude (how do solar storms impact satellites?). Last year, Arizona-based Katalyst Space won a $30M contract to rescue Swift by raising its orbit to around 370 miles before it falls below 185 miles around October. The 185-mile benchmark is considered the point of no return, after which the telescope is projected to make an uncontrolled reentry.
If all goes well, a rocket will propel Katalyst’s device into orbit. From there, the device will approach Swift over several weeks and attach to it with custom, Lego-like robotic arms. See the plan here via YouTube.
