Commercial robotic mission launches to rescue NASA's Swift Observatory from orbital decay
By
Ashley Strickland
Summary
A first-of-its-kind commercial robotic rescue mission has launched to save NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from falling out of low-Earth orbit due to atmospheric drag and solar activity. If successful, it will mark the first time a commercial spacecraft has captured an uncrewed NASA observatory not designed for in-space servicing, preventing the 3,200-pound telescope from an untimely atmospheric reentry.
Source
bskyCommercial robotic mission launches to rescue NASA's Swift Observatory from orbital decaycnn.comKey quotes
· 2 pulledIf successful, it will mark the first time a commercial robotic mission has captured an uncrewed NASA spacecraft that wasn't designed to be serviced in space, according to the agency.
Without intervention, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory would dip below a key orbital threshold this month due to atmospheric drag and the impact of recent solar activity.
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