NASA’s Bold Mission to Save the Aging Swift Telescope

NASA is embarking on a daring mission to rescue its aging space telescope, Swift, which is losing altitude. The planned $30 million operation is set to launch a robotic lifeline this week. NASA has hired the startup company Katalyst Space Technologies to elevate the Swift Observatory to a higher orbit, enabling it to continue searching for major explosions in the universe. A three-armed spacecraft constructed by Katalyst will pursue Swift once it lifts off from an atoll in the Marshall Islands, carried by a Pegasus rocket launched from a plane. The launch could take place on Tuesday.

Swift, operational since 2004, has been steadily descending due to recent intense solar activity. It urgently needs to reach a more stable orbit to survive. The Hubble Space Telescope is also at risk, experiencing similar altitude loss as the Sun continues with frequent solar flares. Katalyst Space’s CEO, Ghonhee Lee, mentioned that their next-generation robot, still under development, could potentially aid Hubble within a few years.

“This is the first American space robot undertaking such a mission,” said Lee to The Associated Press. “NASA has numerous veteran observatories, and all could benefit from this service. This mission demonstrates a new play available in the manual.”

Katalyst’s autonomous spacecraft, named Link, will take about a month to rendezvous with Swift and capture it. It will then spend a couple of months raising Swift’s orbit from the current 360 kilometers (224 miles) to the desired 600 kilometers (373 miles). The 1.6-ton gamma-ray observatory must remain above 300 kilometers (185 miles) for the rescue to work. Current estimates suggest Swift will reach this critical point by October.

Link, roughly the size of a small kitchen refrigerator with a 12-meter (40-foot) solar wingspan, has three arms extending slightly over one meter (three feet) each. Every arm is equipped with two grip-like clasps resembling fingers, similar to Lego minifigure hands. If the operation succeeds, Swift could be operational again by September, according to Lee.

Valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, Swift was never designed for repairs, whether by human hands or otherwise. This makes the operation particularly challenging, say company officials, who stress that success is not guaranteed.

NASA signed a contract with Katalyst in September with just two stipulations: work against the clock, but don’t exacerbate the situation. Nine months later, the company is ready to take action.

“I must be honest. No one thought it would be possible. No one imagined we’d get this far today,” stated Shawn Domagal-Goldman, NASA’s astrophysics director.

NASA has bought more time for Swift by shutting down all scientific instruments to slow its descent. Observations ceased in February. According to NASA’s Chief of Science Missions, Nicky Fox, the effort is worthwhile.

“If we let Swift reenter, we’d lose the telescope. We’d lose significant capabilities,” Fox stated. “Currently, we don’t have the budget to build a replacement.”

Despite space’s unforgiving nature, Swift holds special significance, Domagal-Goldman notes. In line with its name, Swift was designed to swiftly rotate and capture last-minute astronomical events, such as gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars. With more discoveries anticipated from the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope and Roman Space Telescope launches, a rescued Swift would be busier than ever as NASA’s “first informer.”

Katalyst envisions this mission as the beginning of a new space repair industry. The company’s next-generation robotic rescuer, scheduled for flight next year, will address satellites at altitudes of up to 35,800 kilometers (22,300 miles). Lee anticipates hundreds of robots in orbit one day, not only repairing and elevating satellites but also refueling them and constructing solar farms, data centers, and other platforms.

Hubble, 36 years in operation and previously serviced by astronauts during the space shuttle era, might benefit from a Katalyst boost in 2028 to extend its life.

“Hubble is a national treasure,” Fox remarked. “People love Hubble.”