NASA’s Swift Observatory studies powerful explosions in space. Its orbit is slowly getting lower because thin air creates drag. Another spacecraft, called LINK, is preparing to raise Swift to a safer height. Engineers recently installed new flight software after LINK had problems controlling its direction.
The new software helps LINK stay stable with the parts that still work. Teams will check its performance during each move toward Swift. LINK may then capture the observatory and lift it higher. Meanwhile, Swift operators changed its position to reduce drag. This step has slowed the observatory’s fall. Swift is about 347 kilometres above Earth now. Raising it becomes harder below 300 kilometres.