NASA calls off rescue mission for its falling Swift space telescope
The space agency’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which studied cataclysmic cosmic explosions, is expected to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere later this year
NASA has announced the failure of a rescue mission intended to save its Swift space telescope from burning up in Earth's atmosphere. The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, has been instrumental in studying cosmic explosions. Despite spending $30 million on a rescue attempt, the Lightweight In-Space Navigation and Kinematics (LINK) spacecraft, built by private company Katalyst Space Technologies, was unable to capture Swift.
LINK malfunctioned shortly after its July launch, leading to communication problems and a failure to rendezvous with Swift. The mission was canceled in advance of Swift's orbital decay, leaving a significant gap in high-energy cosmos research. Katalyst Space Technologies remains committed to learning from the mission and applying the lessons to future rendezvous and satellite servicing operations.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged the mission's failure but emphasized its value in advancing capabilities for satellite servicing in the future.
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