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NASA calls off mission to rescue Swift gamma-ray observatory
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NASA has called off a daring robotic mission to rescue its aging Swift gamma-ray observatory from an untimely reentry. The space agency and Katalyst Space Technologies announced Wednesday that the Link rescue satellite cannot complete its objective due to ongoing attitude control issues. The decision ends a high-risk effort to use a small spacecraft to boost Swift into a safer orbit.
The Link satellite launched July 3 as part of a $30 million contract awarded less than a year ago. Roughly the size of a refrigerator, Link carried three robotic arms and three xenon-fueled electric thrusters to latch onto Swift and raise its altitude. The mission faced an extremely tight schedule, with engineers completing the first-of-its-kind satellite in just nine months.
Problems emerged in late July when the spacecraft suddenly spun out of control. Two of Link's three reaction wheels, essential for attitude control, failed, and its cold gas thrusters also malfunctioned. Only the low-impulse plasma thrusters remained, leaving insufficient capability to stabilize the satellite as it orbits Earth at nearly five miles per second.
Katalyst confirmed that two of three reaction wheels stopped working and cold gas thrusters had issues. The spacecraft is still alive, and the company says it may still approach Swift for a demonstration of close-in navigation. However, the original rescue goal is no longer achievable, and the mission will not have the intended ending.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman defended the mission as a calculated risk. "NASA should be willing to move quickly and take smart risks when the potential return is worth it," he said. Isaacman acknowledged the outcome was not what they sought but stressed that the effort was worthwhile given the stakes.
The cancellation highlights the challenges of commercial satellite servicing ventures. Katalyst said it will work to extract technical and operational value from the spacecraft. The remaining fuel and systems may support partial demonstrations before Link's eventual demise.
Swift, launched in 2004, continues to study gamma-ray bursts and cosmic explosions. Without a boost, the observatory will eventually reenter Earth's atmosphere and burn up. NASA and Katalyst are now assessing what milestones remain ahead for the already-operating Link satellite, which may still prove useful in orbit.
