NASA and Katalyst call off rescue mission for aging Swift space telescope
- NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies have called off the mission to boost the Swift Observatory into a higher orbit.
- Katalyst said its Link spacecraft will not try to capture Swift because of problems with controlling the vehicle.
- NASA said Swift is now expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere and burn up later this year, with its end not expected before October.
- NASA had paid Katalyst $30 million for the attempt after solar activity caused Swift to lose altitude faster than expected.
- Swift was launched in 2004 and had studied events such as gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars for more than 20 years.
- Katalyst will keep operating Link near Swift to demonstrate its capabilities for future rescue missions.
NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies have abandoned the effort to rescue the aging Swift Observatory, leaving the telescope on course to reenter Earth's atmosphere and burn up later this year. The decision came more than a month after Katalyst's Link spacecraft launched to try to raise Swift into a safer orbit.
Katalyst said it would not attempt to capture the telescope because of control problems with Link. NASA said Swift's loss of altitude had accelerated after intense solar activity, and that the telescope is now expected to fall back through the atmosphere, with its end not anticipated before October.
NASA had paid Katalyst $30 million for the attempt to move Swift back to its original orbit of 373 miles. Swift was still orbiting at about 214 miles on Wednesday, and its science instruments had already been shut down earlier this year to slow its descent.
Launched in 2004, Swift spent more than two decades observing gamma-ray bursts, exploding stars and other high-energy events. Katalyst said it will continue to operate Link near the telescope to demonstrate the spacecraft's capabilities for future rescue missions. Hubble, which is also losing altitude, had been considered the next candidate for such a boost if this effort had succeeded.
NASA与Katalyst叫停对老化Swift太空望远镜的救援任务
NASA与Katalyst Space Technologies已经放弃营救老化的Swift观测器，这意味着这台望远镜将按计划在今年晚些时候重返地球大气层并烧毁。此决定出现在Katalyst的Link飞船发射一个多月后，当时它原本要尝试把Swift抬升到更安全的轨道。
Katalyst表示，由于Link在控制方面出现问题，飞船不会尝试捕获这台望远镜。NASA称，太阳活动加剧导致Swift下降高度比预期更快，如今预计它将坠回大气层，最早也要到10月之后才会结束使命。
NASA为这次尝试向Katalyst支付了3000万美元，希望将Swift送回其原本约600公里高的轨道。到周三时，Swift仍在约345公里高度运行，而它的科学仪器已在今年早些时候关闭，以减缓下坠速度。
Swift于2004年发射，20多年来一直观测伽马射线暴、恒星爆发等高能宇宙事件。Katalyst表示，将继续在望远镜附近操作Link，以展示该飞行器未来执行救援任务的能力。如果这次任务成功，下一位可能受益的是同样在缓慢降轨的哈勃望远镜。