NASA Rescue Mission Spirals Into Crisis - Futurism

What the report says

Futurism reports that NASA’s attempt to extend the life of its aging Swift observatory has run into serious trouble after the rescue spacecraft, LINK, began spinning following its July 3 launch. The mission was intended to use a specialized space tug from contractor Katalyst Space Technologies to raise Swift into a safer orbit as orbital decay threatens the telescope’s future.

According to the NASA update cited by Futurism, LINK developed attitude-control problems that led to tumbling and unreliable communications. The agency said an early review indicates two of the spacecraft’s three reaction wheels are not currently working, and that part of its cold-gas thruster system has also lost functionality. Reaction wheels help a spacecraft point itself properly, making their failure especially concerning for a mission that would need controlled movement near another satellite.

Futurism notes that LINK is not necessarily lost: other spacecraft systems are still operating, and controllers remain able to communicate with it. Katalyst’s immediate goal is to stabilize the vehicle before deciding whether any version of the Swift rescue attempt can proceed. The situation is time-sensitive because, without an orbital boost, Swift is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere in the coming months.

Swift has operated for nearly 22 years, far beyond its original expected life, studying gamma-ray bursts and other powerful cosmic explosions. Futurism reported NASA’s contract with Katalyst was worth $30 million, a relatively small amount by the standards of major space programs. The episode matters because it tests a risky approach to extending valuable science missions rather than replacing them.