NASA Plans Rescue Mission for Swift Observatory

NASA is preparing a rescue mission to save the Swift Observatory from reentering Earth’s atmosphere. The mission involves a $30 million endeavor to enhance the telescope’s orbit. Katalyst Space Technologies is tasked with the operation. A robotic spacecraft will elevate Swift’s current orbit to prevent it from falling back to Earth. This mission comes as solar activity has been increasing, leading to Swift’s gradual descent.

Swift’s Mission and Challenges

Swift, operational since 2004, has been monitoring significant cosmic explosions. Recent solar flares have accelerated its decline, necessitating a move to a higher, more stable orbit. Swift’s situation mirrors that of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, also experiencing similar orbital degradation due to solar flares.

Katalyst Space CEO, Ghonhee Lee, indicated that a future robotic mission could aid in maintaining Hubble’s operation. Only China has previously attempted a similar orbital boost, focusing on placing a satellite into a higher graveyard orbit.

Katalyst’s Spacecraft and Mission Timeline

Katalyst’s autonomous spacecraft, Link, will take approximately one month to reach Swift. It will then take an additional couple of months to successfully elevate Swift to a target orbit.

The craft is designed with three robotic arms, each equipped with pinching grippers to facilitate grasping. Operating at a swift pace, Katalyst aims to achieve these objectives by September.

NASA’s Strategy and Future Plans

NASA’s proactive steps include turning off Swift’s instruments temporarily. This measure buys time by reducing its descent rate. According to NASA’s science mission chief, Nicky Fox, saving Swift is critical due to the current lack of funds for a replacement.

Swift’s capability to quickly adjust to observe sudden astronomical events makes it indispensable. NASA foresees an escalating demand for such observations, with upcoming missions like the Webb Space Telescope and Roman Space Telescope.

Potential for Future Space Repairs

Katalyst views this mission as an inaugural project for a broader future enterprise in space repair and maintenance. Upcoming missions include a robotic rescuer designed to operate at much higher orbits. The potential for satellite maintenance, refueling, and infrastructure building in space is significant.

Among these future projects, the Hubble Space Telescope stands as a viable candidate for life extension operations. Further contributions to this field could involve developing solar farms and data centers in space.