en.Wedoany.com Reported - The LINK three-armed unmanned spacecraft, built by U.S. startup Katalyst Space Technologies, launched earlier this week on a mission to rescue NASA's in-orbit observatory, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.
Launched in 2004, the Swift Observatory is a dedicated space observatory designed to study gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) from low Earth orbit. Gamma-ray bursts are beams emitted by dying stars and are believed to provide crucial clues about the early history of the universe. In recent years, due to increased solar activity, the observatory has been steadily descending in its orbit around Earth, threatening its operational effectiveness and posing a risk of burning up upon re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
The LINK spacecraft launched from the Pacific nation of the Marshall Islands, mounted on a refurbished Lockheed jet chassis from Northrop Grumman. According to reports, the spacecraft was built in just eight months at a project cost of $30 million. This mission will be the first commercial space endeavor in history to attempt to rescue a satellite not designed for servicing.
The team plans to use a robotic arm to grasp the Swift Observatory and then attempt to lift it back to a safe orbit, pushing it upward by approximately 200 kilometers. The Katalyst team has already established electronic communication with the observatory, marking a crucial first step in the mission plan.
Space scientist Dr. Simeon Barber, speaking to BBC News, described the mission as "high-risk" but added that the scientific community relies on the observatory "to study high-energy phenomena that we cannot investigate through other means." Barber described the spacecraft's planned maneuver as a "very slow, graceful lift" rather than a sudden burst, with LINK gradually igniting its thrusters.
In a mission statement, NASA said that while it could have allowed Swift to re-enter the atmosphere, this situation provides an opportunity to demonstrate key capabilities for future space exploration. The statement noted that this bold approach extends Swift's scientific lifespan and is more cost-effective than replacing the observatory's unique capabilities.
