On July 3, NASA launched the LINK spacecraft to grab the aging Swift space telescope and boost its orbit by about 240 km, preventing an imminent reentry. This mission marks the first time a private spacecraft will grab a U.S. government satellite, setting a milestone for commercial satellite servicing and extending a key astronomy mission. The LINK spacecraft uses a robotic arm to secure the telescope, then thrusters to slowly raise its orbit; if successful, Swift could resume observations as early as September.
Background
The Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, studies gamma-ray bursts and has been in a decaying orbit due to increased solar activity. Without intervention, it would have burned up in the atmosphere as early as October. This rescue is part of NASA's push to commercialize in-orbit servicing.