CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A spacecraft with three arms launched into orbit to rescue a NASA telescope at risk of crashing to Earth. Northrop Grumman sent Katalyst Space Technologies’ Link spacecraft into space from the Marshall Islands. The launch occurred using a Pegasus rocket fired from a modified airplane, aiming to reach and capture NASA’s Swift Observatory within a month.
Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, is sinking rapidly due to recent solar storms. NASA has allocated $30 million for Katalyst to capture and elevate Swift’s orbit. This move intends to continue its mission of tracking cosmic phenomena such as gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars.
If successful, Swift could resume its space observations by September. Observation activities are paused to maintain the telescope’s orbit for as long as possible. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope might undergo a similar operation in the coming years as it faces decreasing altitude due to atmospheric drag from solar activity.
Currently, the 1.6-ton Swift orbits at 224 miles above Earth. Katalyst plans to increase its altitude by 150 miles, restoring it to its initial position. Link spacecraft thrusters will slowly boost Swift’s orbit, preventing any sudden movements.
Katalyst organized the mission in nine months, responding to NASA’s urgent request. Without intervention, Swift risks descending irrecoverably by fall. The mission faced delays due to weather and technical challenges.
“This is a high-risk, high-reward mission,” said Katalyst Space CEO Ghonhee Lee. “The biggest danger was always we don’t launch anything and we let Swift burn up in the atmosphere. So we were always trying to avoid that risk, and our team has done that.”
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