A mission to rescue one of NASA’s space observatories from falling to Earth has launched. The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which has studied cosmic objects for nearly 22 years, is at risk of reentering the Earth’s atmosphere due to atmospheric drag and recent solar activity.

The Rescue Mission

The robotic satellite, named LINK, launched from a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket to rendezvous with Swift and boost its orbit. The mission is a first-of-its-kind endeavor, as it aims to capture an uncrewed NASA spacecraft that wasn’t designed to be serviced in space.

After realizing that the Swift mission might come to an end sooner than anticipated, NASA put out a call for proposals for a solution. Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies was selected for the task, with just nine months to design, build, test, and launch a spacecraft capable of rescuing Swift.

The Challenges Ahead

The LINK satellite will go through a series of steps to capture the 3,200-pound observatory and slowly raise Swift’s orbit to 370 miles above the Earth. The mission is considered risky, with many firsts that need to happen in succession for it to be successful.

Scientists must wait months to see whether the mission pays off, as LINK goes through the process of capturing Swift and boosting its orbit. The success of the mission will depend on various factors, including the sun’s activity and the condition of Swift’s multilayer insulation.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.