The US space agency (NASA) announced its readiness to launch an exceptionally high-risk robotic mission aimed at saving the old Space Telescope "Swift" from falling and burning in the Earth's atmosphere, in an unprecedented scientific step that paves the way for extending the operational life of satellites and avoiding them from turning into space debris.
Robotic Plan Details
NASA said the robot carrier mission, designed by the American startup Catalyst, will launch from an atoll in the Pacific Ocean via a small rocket called Pegasus, which will be launched from a flying plane in the air.
NASA astrophysicist Regina Caputo explained that the action plan is based on launching the robot into orbit close to the orbit of the Swift telescope, and then starting the phase of precisely positioning it in the vast space, orbiting it, and then docking with it using three advanced robotic arms.
Caputo noted that the robot will propel the telescope up an estimated distance of about 300 kilometers in at least one month, roughly returning it to its original low orbit, allowing it to continue its scientific missions for more years instead of burning out.
The Scientific Value of SWIFT
NASA Astrophysics Division Director Sean Dumagal-Goleman confirmed that the agency decided to save the Neil Gheryls Swift Observatory telescope due to its exceptional nature and difficulty in replacing it in the near future, even though it was launched in 2004 for a mission that was previously scheduled for only two years.
Goleman explained that the device contains three advanced telescopes designed specifically to monitor and document cosmic gamma-ray bursts, which are the most energy-generating astronomical phenomena in the universe, pointing out that its previous location at an altitude of 600 kilometers caused it to gradually approach the Earth due to the lack of self-propelled means in it.
The scientific community has estimated the cost of the rescue mission at about $30 million, through which the agency will try to protect a telescope that has a total cost of $250 million, which is still in high demand from researchers due to its superior response speed.
Kabuto warned that the robot called "LINK" faces critical technical challenges and many unknowns, indicating that engineers do not have an accurate geometrical perception of the shape of the telescope's back that the robot will cling to, making the odds of success stand at 50 percent.
A new model for vehicle and satellite management
Catalyst officials are optimistic that the mission, which could extend into next fall, will open up new technological horizons and shape an innovative model in the outer space and satellite management sector.
The company's CEO, Robert Lamontagne, said the robot's success would move humanity to a stage where spacecraft could be refueled in orbit, recycled, repaired and upgraded with full flexibility, even if the satellites were not designed in advance to receive these services.
According to researchers, this bold move by NASA comes to light the growing crisis of space debris in low Earth orbit, which is threatening the safety of manned flights and international space stations.
The SWIFT telescope represents an important astronomical legacy that has revolutionized the understanding of violent stellar explosions for more than two decades, and trying to save it through collaboration with the private sector and startups is a shift in the strategies of international agencies that are beginning to favor intelligent orbital maintenance options and extend the life of existing devices over the high costs of building and launching new replacement telescopes.
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