NASA bets $30M on a robotic rescue to keep the Swift telescope in orbit

NASA is pursuing a $30 million robotic mission to save the aging Swift gamma-ray burst observatory from orbital decay and prevent it from re-entering Earth. The plan envisions a small spacecraft rendezvousing with Swift to boost its orbit or attach a propulsion module, extending the telescope’s science life as it continues to detect and study gamma-ray bursts. Swift has been a mainstay of GRB science since 2004, and the rescue would aim to keep its rapid follow-up capabilities operational rather than risk losing the mission to re-entry.