Swift Observatory May Crash to Earth; NASA Launches Rare Rescue Mission

(CNA Washington, June 30, Foreign News) The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will launch a mission today using a rescue robot to save the "Swift Observatory." Although the probability of success is not high, if the mission is successful, other man-made satellites may also be "reborn."

According to Agence France-Presse, the Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, is an astronomical satellite specifically designed to observe "gamma-ray bursts." It is currently falling towards Earth and is expected to burn up in the atmosphere soon if no intervention is made.

The Swift Observatory initially cost as much as $250 million (approximately NT$7.9 billion). Although it has been in service for many years, due to its rapid response capabilities, the scientific community still has a very high demand for its use. Therefore, NASA plans to spend $30 million (approximately NT$940 million) to attempt this rescue mission, which is expected to take several months.

NASA will use a rescue robot built by the startup company Katalyst, mounted on a small rocket named "Pegasus." It is scheduled to launch from a coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean at 6:23 PM Taiwan time on June 30.

Notably, this rocket will not launch from a launchpad but will be released from a jet.

NASA astrophysicist Regina Caputo told AFP with a laugh, "Everything about this mission is too crazy."

Once the rescue robot reaches orbit near the target, it must locate the Swift Observatory in space. Then, the robot will maneuver nearby to firmly grasp it with its three robotic arms. It will take at least one month to tow the Swift Observatory to a stable orbit by raising its altitude by about 300 kilometers, thus preventing it from falling into the atmosphere.

Caputo said the chances of success or failure for this mission are about fifty-fifty. However, both NASA and Katalyst believe that this mission has the potential to create new possibilities for spacecraft management and is worth a try. (Translator: Chang Ming-hsuan) 1150630

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