NASA launches robotic mission to rescue aging swift space telescope from fiery re-entry

Washington: NASA on Tuesday, launched a daring robotic rescue mission in a long-shot bid to prevent its aging Swift space telescope from burning up in the atmosphere.

Without intervention, the Swift spacecraft — known for observing gamma-ray bursts — is expected to soon fall back to Earth and disintegrate on re-entry.

The rescue effort, if successful, could pave the way for extending the life of other satellites nearing the end of their orbits, NASA said.

Swift, launched in 2004, has far outlived its original mission timeline but is now at risk due to orbital decay. The robotic mission aims to dock with the telescope and either boost its orbit or enable controlled servicing.

NASA officials called the attempt “daring” and said it could set a precedent for future satellite life-extension and debris-mitigation missions.