NASA Sends Robot to Save Falling Swift Telescope

Swift was launched in 2004 to study powerful bursts of energy in space. It has been sinking faster because of unusually strong solar activity, which heats and expands the upper atmosphere and pulls satellites downward. The telescope now orbits about 224 miles (360 kilometers) up, but must stay above 185 miles (300 kilometers) for the rescue to work — a level it may cross in October. To slow the fall, NASA switched off all of Swift's instruments in February, stopping its observations. The spacecraft was never built to be repaired, so the task is very hard.

If the plan works, Link will spend about a month catching up to Swift and two more raising its orbit. NASA science chief Nicky Fox said the effort is worth it, because the agency cannot afford a new telescope and would lose a valuable tool if Swift burned up. Nicknamed "NASA's first responder," Swift can turn quickly to capture sudden events such as exploding stars. Katalyst hopes to build a wider business moving satellites, and its next robot might even rescue the bigger Hubble telescope around 2028.