NASA Launches Link Spacecraft to Raise Swift Observatory Orbit

*NASA sent a three-armed robotic vehicle from Katalyst Space Technologies to intercept the Swift Observatory and lift it 150 miles higher before solar activity pulls it into the atmosphere.*

NASA launched the Link spacecraft on Friday. Its mission is to reach the Swift Observatory, which has no propulsion of its own, and push the satellite back to a safer altitude.

The Swift Observatory has circled Earth since 2004. Recent solar storms have lowered its path to 224 miles. Engineers now expect it could burn up this year if nothing changes. Link aims to add roughly 150 miles to that height.

Katalyst Space Technologies built the Link vehicle under contract with NASA. The spacecraft uses three arms to grasp and reposition the target. NASA confirmed contact with Link after launch as part of the Swift Boost mission.

The operation requires precise timing and control because Swift cannot adjust its own course. Link must match orbits, dock, and then fire its engines to climb.

Swift carries instruments that have tracked gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy events for two decades. Losing it would end those observations until a replacement flies.

The rescue attempt shows how commercial vehicles now handle tasks once reserved for government fleets. It also highlights the growing need to manage aging satellites whose orbits decay faster than planned.

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Sources:

• The Verge
• Engadget

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