Many satellites still have many years of useful life, but like many humans, they are being taken out by unexpected diseases (read “component failures,” “accidents,” or “reentry” in lieu of “diseases” for space craft). However, like humans, they can get by with a little help from their friends (sorry, Beatles). In this case the friends of satellites are a recently invented type of unmanned space craft with capability to:
Grab a dead or dying satellite, and use the space craft’s (highly efficient) thrusters to move the disabled space craft to a different orbit. Either lower to rapidly reenter the atmosphere in a safe region or higher to continue its mission. In the latter case, it would be good if the assisting space craft could also repair and refuel the satellite to extend its active lifetime.
