NASA Launches LINK to Raise Swift From 360 km Orbit Before 300 km Rescue Window Closes
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 3
NASA Launches LINK to Raise Swift From 360 km Orbit Before 300 km Rescue Window Closes
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 3
Summary
LINK launched Friday to intercept Swift, whose orbit has fallen to about 360 km and is expected to become unrecoverable below 300 km.
Solar activity expanded Earth's upper atmosphere, increasing drag on the 2004 observatory and pulling it down from roughly 600 km, with most of the descent coming in the past two years.
Over the next three to four weeks, the fridge-sized craft will activate its systems, match Swift's shifting orbit and attempt an unprecedented robotic capture with three arms.
If LINK secures the telescope, it will spend two to three months slowly firing thrusters to lift Swift back toward a more stable orbit near 600 km.
Swift is prized for catching gamma-ray bursts and other extreme cosmic explosions, and a successful mission could bolster future in-orbit rescue efforts for satellites such as Hubble.
Could this high-stakes rescue attempt accidentally create even more dangerous space debris?
Is saving old satellites a cost-effective strategy or just delaying the creation of more space junk?
With private firms now capturing satellites, what prevents a 'wild west' of unauthorized space salvage?
Saving Swift: LINK’s Urgent $30 Million Mission to Prevent Observatory’s Uncontrolled Re-Entry
Overview
On July 3, 2026, the LINK spacecraft successfully launched and is now fully operational, heading toward the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Swift has been losing altitude due to increased atmospheric drag caused by recent solar activity, putting it at risk of uncontrolled re-entry and destruction. The LINK mission aims to intervene by restoring Swift to its original orbit, which is expected to extend the observatory’s life by several years. This urgent rescue not only preserves a valuable scientific asset but also demonstrates new technology for servicing satellites in space.