NASA is calling off its attempt to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, an aging telescope that is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere later this year. Multiple outlets report the mission is abandoned after problems with the spacecraft meant to capture and reboost Swift.
The rescue effort involved NASA’s partnership with Katalyst Space, using the LINK spacecraft to conduct rendezvous and proximity operations and, in the planned scenario, capture Swift with robotic systems to lift it into a safer orbit. CBS News and others say an ongoing attitude control issue in LINK prevented the mission from proceeding as intended, leading NASA to scrap the plan.
While the overall outcome is the same, outlets add different emphasis. Some describe Swift as “doomed” to a fiery reentry, while others focus on what LINK manages to do before the failure. The Independent reports the private spacecraft comes close to Swift and even snaps pictures despite not being able to save it. Several outlets also cite an expected October re-entry timeframe.
Overall, sources agree NASA stops the rescue after the assisting spacecraft loses control or cannot complete the maneuver, leaving Swift on a trajectory back to Earth.
