NASA launched an emergency mission to stop the Swift Observatory from crashing to Earth

Engineers from Katalyst Space Technologies investigating Link. | Image: NASA/Scott Wiessinger

The Swift Observatory was launched successful 2004, but caller star storms person pushed its orbit lower, and it's successful information of burning up successful Earth's ambiance arsenic soon arsenic this year. To effort and stave disconnected its demise, NASA has enlisted Katalyst Space Technologies. The company's Link spacecraft launched Friday with the extremity of intercepting Swift, which has nary propulsion system, and boosting its orbit backmost to its archetypal position. Right now, Swift is circling astatine an altitude of 224 miles, and Link is aiming to rise that by astir 150 miles.

Using a three-armed spacecraft to assistance a outer 150 miles higher into orbit is challenging enough, but the spee …

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