NASA launches mission to tow a space telescope to safety
What's the story
NASA has successfully launched the LINK satellite to save the aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from falling into Earth's atmosphere. Built by Katalyst Space Technologies, LINK was carried into orbit via a Pegasus XL rocket dropped from Northrop Grumman's Stargazer aircraft over the Marshall Islands. LINK's job is to intercept the Swift Observatory and tow it to a higher orbit, saving the 22-year-old space telescope from a fiery destruction as it slowly slips into Earth's atmosphere.
Rescue operation
LINK will take 2 to 3 weeks to observe Swift
The LINK satellite will take two to three weeks observing Swift before making its final approach. It has three robotic arms that will be used for capturing the observatory, which is about 13 feet long. After choosing a grip-point and locking onto Swift, LINK will activate its ion thrusters to gradually lift both spacecraft into a higher orbit over the next few months.
Rocket details
Why Pegasus XL rocket was used for LINK launch?
The Pegasus XL rocket is a three-stage, solid rocket-propelled launch vehicle that can place up to 454kg into low-Earth orbit (LEO). After separating from the Stargazer, its stages ignite in succession to reach their target altitude in about 10 minutes. This flexibility makes it ideal for missions like LINK's rescue operation for Swift.
Mission longevity
Why does Swift need rescuing?
The $500 million Swift Observatory was launched in November 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy events across the universe. Despite more than two decades of operation, it still provides scientific value. However, its orbit has begun to dip dangerously low due to recent solar activity increasing atmospheric drag at higher LEO altitudes. Without intervention, Swift would eventually re-enter Earth's atmosphere years from now and burn up.