NASA satellite rescue mission fails, says US space agency

A mission to rescue a NASA satellite from burning up in Earth's atmosphere has ended in failure, according to the US space agency. The Swift space telescope, which investigates the most powerful explosions in the universe, is now expected to re-enter the atmosphere and disintegrate later this year. The $30 million rescue mission aimed to send a robot to capture the telescope and move it to a higher orbit.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that while this outcome was not desired, it did not diminish the value of the attempt. The team moved swiftly to provide Swift with an opportunity to continue its scientific work and advance future satellite servicing capabilities. The unmanned spacecraft, developed by American startup Katalyst, was launched on July 3 using a Pegasus rocket launched from an airplane.

However, on July 28, the company reported that the spacecraft had been spinning out of control for 72 hours, with multiple issues including communication loss. Katalyst cited "ongoing attitude control issues" as the reason for calling off the mission. Despite the failure, NASA plans to continue attempting to reach the Swift telescope, seeking lessons for future missions.