Rescuing a Satellite

In 2004, NASA launched a satellite called Swift into orbit. However, it is losing altitude, which is very bad, since it willl burn up and NASA will not be able to use it. According to News for Kids, NASA teamed up with a company called Katalyst Space Technologies to create a new spacecraft to save it. They are naming this new machine Link.

Swift is a very important satellite. It observes many things, such as stars and black holes. It was also very expensive to make, costing NASA 500 million dollars to build. It is very vulnerable to falling out of orbit. In fact, it has even lasted 10 years longer than NASA expected it to when they first launched it. Thus, NASA wants to save it, so it can keep making discoveries and to save money.

Link, the rescue spacecraft, was built pretty quickly. It took less than a year for it to be built. It will use its three arms to push Swift higher, helping it stay in orbit for a few more years. Katalyst will launch Link by attaching it to a rocket, and attaching the rocket attached to a plane. Once the plane takes off, it will drop the rocket after it reaching a certain height. Then, the rocket will carry the spacecraft into orbit. That is where it is right now. Right now, NASA is making final preparations for Link to grab and push Swift about 50 miles higher.

Swift needs to be rescued in a few months. Whether Swift remains operational or not will be determined soon by Link.