A Nasa-funded spacecraft, known as the LINK, has been launched with the ambitious objective of capturing and salvaging a falling space telescope, Swift. The Swift observatory, which orbits Earth at an altitude that has decreased from 373 miles to around 220 miles due to increased solar activity, is at risk of crashing back to Earth in the coming months. The LINK craft, developed by Katalyst Space Technologies, will intercept Swift using three robotic arms and attempt to lift it back into a safe orbit. This rescue mission marks the first time such an endeavor has been attempted, and if successful, could pave the way for future spacecraft salvage operations, potentially including the Hubble Space Telescope. Launched on Friday, the LINK spacecraft will spend several weeks activating its systems and positioning itself to intercept Swift, which is currently moving in an unstable orbit that requires the rescue craft to home in on a moving target. The mission's success depends on various factors, including the ability of the LINK to accurately locate and capture Swift, and the performance of the thrusters that will be used to raise its orbit back to stability.