Reaction wheel failures leave Swift rescue mission spinning in orbit
NASA's Link satellite, designed to rescue the Swift gamma-ray telescope, is experiencing technical failures in its reaction wheels and thrusters. These issues have caused the spacecraft to spin, leading to sporadic communication with ground control.
Why it matters
This mission represents a pioneering effort in commercial satellite servicing, and its failure could jeopardize the future of orbital maintenance and debris mitigation.
Rescuing the rescuer Reaction wheel failures leave Swift rescue mission spinning in orbit “Preliminary investigation shows that two of Link’s three reaction wheels currently are not operable.”
11 A camera mounted on Katalyst's Link satellite captured this view of one of its solar arrays in orbit. Credit: Katalyst Space Technologies A camera mounted on Katalyst's Link satellite captured this view of one of its solar arrays in orbit. Credit: Katalyst Space Technologies Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav Nearly a month since its launch, a first-of-its-kind commercial satellite built to save NASA’s Swift gamma-ray telescope from a fiery reentry is having problems of its own, the agency announced Tuesday.
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