사상 첫 ‘우주망원경 구조 작전’ 실패…구조선 고장으로 접근도 못해

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) attempted to perform the world's first space telescope rescue mission, but it ultimately failed. On July 19, the agency launched a rescue spacecraft, the Link, to raise the altitude of the crippled Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift Telescope) which was in danger of falling back to Earth.

However, technical limitations and fuel depletion prevented the mission from being completed. Consequently, the Swift Telescope, which has been observing gamma-ray bursts from space since 2004, is set to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and disintegrate by the end of this year. Originally orbiting at an altitude of 690 kilometers, the Swift Telescope's descent speed drastically accelerated in 2024 due to increased solar activity.

Without the ability to raise its own orbit, NASA partnered with space company Caltellite to create a rescue spacecraft, which was successfully launched on July 3. The rescue spacecraft, equipped with three robotic arms, was intended to capture the telescope and gradually guide it into a stable orbit over three months. However, a propulsion system malfunction led to uncontrollable orientation, and the failure to consume enough fuel resulted in the loss of the necessary power for the mission.

NASA has halted the Link's attempt to capture the Swift Telescope but plans to continue docking and proximity operations for future missions. NASA Administrator Jeffrey A. Irving stated, "While our goal was not achieved, the value of attempting this mission remains intact." Swift Telescope is expected to resume normal scientific observations before its impending demise.

Alice Fisher, a NASA spokesperson, expects limited observation data during the final month of atmospheric re-entry, warning that some debris may reach the surface, but the risk of injury is very low.