NASA Plans to Save a Telescope from Falling to Earth

Topic: Space

The event will happen on Monday, June 29, 2026, at 11:41 am.

In short:

NASA will send a special spacecraft to save its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory telescope.

The $43.5 million mission aims to keep the telescope in space. It will push the telescope away from Earth's orbit.

What's next?

The NASA mission will start as early as this week.

NASA is trying to save an old telescope from falling to Earth.

The $43.5 million rescue mission will start soon.

NASA hired a company to help the Swift Observatory.

The Swift Observatory has been in space for over 20 years.

A special spacecraft will catch the Swift Observatory.

The rocket will launch from the Pacific's Marshall Islands.

The Swift Observatory looks at bursts of light in space.

NASA has a new plan to save its telescopes.

The Swift Observatory has been falling because of the Sun's activity.

It needs to get to a higher orbit to survive.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is also in danger.

A company will help push the Swift Observatory back into orbit.

Hubble is losing altitude because of the Sun's flares.

A new robot might save Hubble in a couple of years.

Only China has tried a mission like this before.

This is the first American space robot to do this job.

NASA has many old observatories that could use this help.

The Link spacecraft will take a month to catch the Swift Observatory.

The Link spacecraft has three arms like a Lego figure.

The Swift Observatory must be above 300km for the rescue to work.

The Link spacecraft is like a small kitchen refrigerator.

If all goes well, Swift could be back in business by September.

Why NASA can't let Swift fall to Earth

Swift is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

NASA signed a contract with a company to save Swift.

No one thought it was possible to save Swift.

The Link spacecraft was taken to the Marshall Islands.

NASA turned off Swift's instruments to slow its fall.

NASA's science mission chief said it's worth the effort.

If Swift falls, NASA will lose a lot of capability.

NASA can't afford to build another telescope like Swift.

Swift is special because it can pivot quickly.

The US space agency has plans for a lunar outpost.

Swift is designed to capture astronomical events quickly.

Swift will be busier than ever if it's saved.

Katalyst sees Swift as a start for a new repair business.

The company's next robot will tackle satellites higher up.

The CEO envisions hundreds of robots in orbit one day.

Hubble could get a life-extending boost in 2028.

Hubble is a national treasure.

People love Hubble.

Monday, June 29, 2026, at 11:41 am.

See more ABC coverage.

Promotion

Hörübung