{
  "id": 9791323,
  "title": "Spacecraft returns to Earth after rescue mission for ageing Nasa telescope fails",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/spacecraft-returns-to-earth-after-rescue-mission-for-ageing-nasa",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-25T16:38:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Science",
    "slug": "guardian-science",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/sep/25/nasa-telescope-rescue-mission-fails"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "A spacecraft called Link, described as \"America's first commercial space robot\", was launched on July 3 from Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific islands. Its mission was to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a Nasa satellite that has been studying gamma-ray bursts and other cosmic events for 22 years. However, due to a series of in-flight problems, Link was unable to salvage the observatory.\n\nThe spacecraft has now returned to Earth, concluding its failed mission. According to the Guardian Science, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory will now demise in several weeks' time.\n\nThere is no further information on the cause of the in-flight problems or the specifics of the failed mission.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Phys.org",
        "title": "NASA to study human health and performance during Crew-13 mission",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/nasa-to-study-human-health-and-performance-during-crew-13-mission",
        "published": "2026-09-24T20:00:05.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}