NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory will crash back to Earth after an ambitious $30 million private rescue mission failed. Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies called off plans to boost the aging gamma-ray telescope to a higher orbit after its rescue spacecraft experienced debilitating attitude control failures.
Launched in November 2004, the observatory was designed to study gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe. Over more than two decades, the spacecraft gradually lost altitude due to atmospheric drag. That natural decay accelerated rapidly because of increased solar activity, which expanded Earth’s upper atmosphere and intensified the drag on the aging observatory.
How an Unprecedented Space Rescue Mission Unraveled
To save the observatory, NASA awarded a $30 million contract to Katalyst Space Technologies. Working on a nine-month schedule, engineers designed and built a robotic servicing spacecraft named LINK.
On July 3, the rescue vehicle launched. But immense thermal loading on power electronics triggered unexpected interactions that burned out switches connected to two of LINK’s three reaction wheels.
“You know, this is not the outcome that we wanted, but I think it’s very important to recognize the unprecedented scale. This was an ambitious, high-risk, high-reward mission where we designed, built and launched a space robot within nine months.”
With two reaction wheels disabled, the spacecraft experienced attitude control problems. Although flight controllers managed to stabilize the rotating spacecraft with the help of its main propulsion engines, the process eventually left the spacecraft with insufficient fuel to perform a meaningful orbital boost.
NASA and Katalyst Call Off the Reboost Attempt
Following weeks of troubleshooting, NASA and Katalyst jointly announced that they had called off plans to have LINK attach to Swift and raise its orbit. The reduced control actuators also lacked the precision required to effectively grapple the observatory.
Pivoting From Rescue to Orbital Proximity Operations
Although the primary rescue objective is off the table, LINK remains operational in a lower orbit. Controllers placed the spacecraft into a spin-stabilized mode using its thrusters to raise its altitude toward Swift’s current position.
Data from the Space Force’s Space-Track database shows LINK orbiting at an altitude between 319 and 329 kilometers, while Swift sits slightly higher between 341 and 343 kilometers. Once the rescue craft nears the observatory, engineers plan to switch back to three-axis control and execute rendezvous and proximity operations, allowing sensors to capture close-up images of the aging telescope.
Assessing the Risks of Swift’s Uncontrolled Reentry
“Swift is not likely to reenter sooner than October. NASA will share more information as reentry approaches, following established interagency procedures for such notifications.”
Photo: SpaceNews
Alise Fisher, NASA official
What Comes Next for Commercial Satellite Servicing
The lessons learned from LINK’s hardware failures and proximity tests will directly feed into future commercial space infrastructure projects. Katalyst is incorporating flight data from the mission into other satellite servicing architectures currently under development.
NASA and Katalyst will analyze telemetry from the upcoming rendezvous attempt to refine rendezvous sensors and autonomous navigation software. Data gathered from the failed rescue will pave the way for future missions capable of repairing, refueling, or removing defunct infrastructure in low Earth orbit.
NASA races to save Swift telescope from falling back to Earth with daring rescue mission
