NASA has launched a robotic mission to prevent its ageing Swift space telescope from falling back to Earth, marking a major step in satellite servicing technology.
The Link spacecraft, built by Katalyst Space Technologies and launched by Northrop Grumman, lifted off from the Marshall Islands aboard a Pegasus rocket on Friday after weather and technical delays.
The spacecraft is expected to reach the Swift Observatory in about a month before attempting a complex docking operation using robotic arms. If successful, it will raise the telescope’s orbit by about 300 kilometres, extending its operational life.
Launched in 2004, the Swift Observatory studies powerful gamma-ray bursts but has been gradually losing altitude due to increased atmospheric drag caused by recent solar storms.
NASA officials said the $30 million mission is the first of its kind and could pave the way for future efforts to repair or extend the lifespan of satellites already in orbit.
