NASA has called off a mission to save its Swift Observatory, a space telescope launched in 2004. The observatory is now slated for an uncontrolled, fiery reentry into Earth's atmosphere later this year, with the exact date and location unknown. The decision comes after a mission to extend the telescope's life failed.
NASA had invested $30 million in the rescue effort, which involved sending a spacecraft named Link to push Swift into a higher orbit. Link, developed by aerospace startup Katalyst Space, launched in early July with the objective of grappling onto Swift, approximately 216 miles above Earth, and maneuvering it to an orbit of roughly 373 miles. This would have extended the observatory's operational life by several years.
However, the Link spacecraft encountered significant issues shortly after its liftoff, entering an uncontrollable spin. While flight controllers were able to slow its rotation, problems with its pointing and positioning persisted. Despite uploading new control software last week, the spinning did not cease. Consequently, Katalyst Space and NASA jointly concluded on Wednesday that the mission would not be able to capture and boost the Swift Observatory.
"This is not the outcome we were working toward, but it does not change why this mission was worth attempting," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. He added that NASA is committed to taking calculated risks when the potential reward is significant. Isaacman also noted that the agency will learn from Link's rendezvous attempt to advance future satellite servicing capabilities.
Swift was originally designed for a two-year prime mission to study gamma-ray bursts and other cosmic events. After 21 years of scientific operations, its low Earth orbit began to decay rapidly due to increased solar activity. Despite the failure to boost its orbit, Link will still attempt proximity operations with Swift to test capabilities for future space exploration missions.
Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee stated, "We took on this high-risk, high-reward challenge and are proud of the milestones we reached along the way." The company built and tested the Link vehicle on an accelerated nine-month production schedule, aiming to demonstrate robotic servicing for future space infrastructure.
