Rescue mission launches to save NASA telescope that’s falling back to Earth
Summary
A special spacecraft called Link was launched to save NASA’s Swift telescope, which is falling closer to Earth faster than before. The Link spacecraft will catch the telescope and raise its orbit so it can keep studying space events like explosions of stars.Key Facts
- The Link spacecraft was launched from the Marshall Islands using a Pegasus rocket carried by an airplane.
- NASA is paying $30 million to have Katalyst Space Technologies capture and boost the Swift telescope’s orbit.
- Swift was launched in 2004 and is currently orbiting about 224 miles above Earth.
- Solar storms have increased the drag on the telescope, causing it to lose altitude faster.
- Link will raise Swift’s orbit by about 150 miles slowly to avoid shaking the telescope.
- The mission was put together in just nine months because Swift needs help before October.
- Observations from Swift are paused to save its orbit until the rescue mission is complete.
- NASA might use a similar mission in the future to help the Hubble Space Telescope, which is also losing altitude.
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