A mission to stop a space observatory from falling to Earth has failed. Here’s what happens next
A mission to rescue NASA's aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has been abandoned after the rescue satellite, LINK, experienced persistent control issues. While the rescue failed, the mission will continue as a technical demonstration to gather data for future satellite servicing.
Why it matters
This highlights the technical challenges and inherent risks involved in in-space satellite maintenance, a growing sector for the future of space infrastructure.
A satellite called LINK that recently launched to boost the orbit of a falling space observatory won't be able to carry out its daring rescue mission after all.
NASA's decades-old Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is steadily losing altitude and in danger of reentering Earth's atmosphere. Designed by Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies to save the observatory, the LINK satellite began to encounter difficulty in late July. Just weeks after LINK lifted off on 3 July, it started to spin out of control.
Katalyst was able to regain control of the satellite, but the company acknowledged that the issue cost it time, which would delay LINK's rendezvous with Swift by about a month. However, that postponement - at least initially - did not seem to be a deterrent to the mission.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in