Nasa launches mission to save falling space telescope

NASA has launched a rescue mission to save the Swift space observatory, which is at risk of burning up in Earth's atmosphere due to orbital decay. The mission involves a specialized craft attempting to grab the telescope with robotic arms to boost it back into a stable orbit.
Why it matters
Swift is a critical scientific instrument used to study high-energy cosmic phenomena, and this mission represents a first-of-its-kind attempt to perform a robotic rescue of a satellite in orbit.
Image source, NASA Image caption, Artist's impression of the Swift observatory which was built to study the cosmos
The article provides a factual, objective report on a scientific mission without political or ideological framing.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in