NASA cancels Swift Telescope rescue mission after spacecraft failure

NASA has canceled the mission to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory after the rescue spacecraft, LINK, experienced critical technical failures. Developed by Katalyst Space Technologies, the LINK satellite was intended to rendezvous with the Swift telescope, capture it using robotic arms, and boost it to a higher orbit to extend its operational life.

Following its launch on July 3, the LINK spacecraft suffered persistent attitude control issues, including malfunctions in its reaction wheels and propellant feed system, leading to uncontrollable rotation. Despite efforts to stabilize the craft via software updates and thruster maneuvers, NASA determined the reliability was too low for the delicate operation of towing a 1.5-ton observatory.

The Swift telescope, which has been studying gamma-ray bursts and other cosmic phenomena since 2004, has been losing altitude due to increased atmospheric drag caused by solar activity. Without the orbital boost, the observatory is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up later this year.

While the rescue attempt failed, NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies plan to continue the LINK mission as a demonstration. The spacecraft will still attempt a rendezvous with Swift to collect data on proximity operations, providing vital lessons for future commercial satellite servicing and repair missions.