NASA and Katalyst scrap 30 million mission to rescue Swift observatory after spacecraft failure
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NASA abandons Swift space telescope rescue after servicing spacecraft Link fails in orbit
ContinuationNASA and Katalyst scrap 30 million mission to rescue Swift observatory after spacecraft failure
NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies abandoned a $30 million mission to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory on Wednesday, after persistent attitude control issues prevented the Link spacecraft from capturing and boosting the aging telescope.
The Link spacecraft, built by Katalyst and launched July 3, was designed to rendezvous with Swift, grab it with three robotic arms, and push it into a higher orbit. But the mission faltered in late July when Link entered an uncontrollable spin, with two of its three reaction wheels failing alongside issues with cold gas thrusters. Despite weeks of recovery efforts, Katalyst and NASA concluded the spacecraft could not complete its primary objective.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement that the mission, though unsuccessful, was still worthwhile. “This is not the outcome we were working toward, but it does not change why this mission was worth attempting,” Isaacman said. “The team moved with extraordinary speed to give Swift a chance to carry out more science while advancing capabilities America will need for satellite servicing in the future.”
Swift, launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts and other cosmic phenomena, has no propulsion system of its own. Increased solar activity accelerated its orbital decay, and NASA had hoped to extend its life by raising its orbit from roughly 214 miles to 600 kilometers. The observatory’s science instruments were turned off earlier this year to slow its descent.
Katalyst will continue operating Link to conduct proximity operations near Swift, aiming to demonstrate navigation and rendezvous techniques for future missions. “We will continue working to extract technical and operational value from the spacecraft,” the company said in a statement.
Swift is now expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up later this year, likely after October. NASA said it will prioritize alternative methods to respond rapidly to cosmic events in the interim, using existing missions to fill the gap left by Swift’s impending loss.
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