A private spacecraft designed to extend the life of NASA's Swift Observatory came within nine miles of the aging telescope and captured imagery, but the rescue attempt was ultimately unsuccessful due to the spacecraft's own fuel limitations. The Link spacecraft, operated by Katalyst Space Technologies, was unable to perform the necessary orbital maneuvers to save Swift.
Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee stated that the Link spacecraft approached Swift last weekend, using its sensors to gather data for NASA. The rescue mission had been previously called off in August because of Link's orbital issues, but the company sought the operation for practice in future satellite servicing missions.
Soon after its launch in July to assist Swift, Link entered an uncontrollable spin. Flight controllers were able to stabilize the spacecraft, but this maneuver consumed a significant amount of its fuel. Consequently, Link did not have sufficient fuel remaining to boost Swift into a higher, more stable orbit, which would have allowed it to continue its astronomical observations.
Lee attributed Link's problems to the compressed timeline for its development, which was completed in just nine months. This rush led to engineers using available parts rather than waiting for preferred components.
NASA had contracted Katalyst for $30 million to conduct the rescue attempt, which was always considered a high-risk, experimental mission with limited potential for failure but a significant risk of creating space debris. "Unfortunately, it wasn't the outcome that we were expecting," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "But that's exactly the type of missions that we should be flying at NASA. We will learn from that."
Isaacman also noted the potential value of extending the operational life of existing spacecraft if the cost of servicing is less than replacement. He pointed to the Roman Space Telescope, designed with refueling capabilities, as an example of future-proofing for long-duration missions.
Lee indicated that Link likely lacks enough fuel for another close approach to Swift. However, the spacecraft can continue to exercise its robotic arms and transmit data before its planned atmospheric reentry and burn-up within the next month.
Swift, launched in 2004, has had its operational lifespan shortened by recent intense solar storms, which have accelerated its orbital decay. NASA estimates Swift will reenter Earth's atmosphere between October and the end of the year. The agency had previously halted observations to conserve power but resumed them last week.
The Hubble Space Telescope, like Swift, has also experienced orbital decay due to solar activity. Katalyst is developing a new spacecraft that could potentially boost Hubble into a more enduring orbit. Lee mentioned that Hubble still has several years of operational life remaining, and satellite servicing is expected to become a more common practice in the space industry.