NASA robot rescue mission sets sights on a space telescope plummeting to Earth
Summary
NASA plans to launch a robotic mission to save the aging Swift space telescope from burning up as it falls toward Earth. The robot will catch the telescope in orbit and move it to a higher, safer altitude to extend its life.Key Facts
- NASA will send a robotic rescue mission to the Swift space telescope, which is losing altitude and will soon burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.
- The mission will launch no earlier than July 1, 2026, from a Pacific Ocean site using a Pegasus rocket released from a jet aircraft.
- The rescue robot will locate Swift in space, attach itself using three movable arms, and tow it about 300 km higher into a stable orbit.
- The Swift telescope was launched in 2004 for a two-year mission to study gamma-ray bursts, very short bursts of intense energy from space.
- Swift orbits at about 600 km altitude, where atmospheric drag gradually pulls satellites down, causing them to lose height over time.
- This mission is one of the first attempts by NASA to extend the life of a satellite by moving it to a higher orbit, similar to a Chinese mission four years ago.
- NASA started planning the rescue after detecting in early 2025 that Swift was nearing the end of its operational life.
- The operation will take several months, with complex steps including locating, capturing, and raising the telescope.
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