Rescue mission called off for NASA's aging Swift space telescope
- NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies said the mission to boost the Swift Observatory to a higher orbit has been canceled after spacecraft control problems.
- Swift is now expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere later this year, with NASA saying its end is not expected before October.
- NASA paid Katalyst $30 million for the orbital boost attempt after solar activity caused Swift to lose altitude faster than expected.
- The rescue craft, Link, entered an uncontrollable spin weeks after its early July launch, and control issues continued afterward.
- Swift was launched in 2004 and has spent more than 20 years observing phenomena such as gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars.
- Katalyst said it will keep operating Link near Swift to demonstrate capabilities for future rescue missions.
NASA has called off the attempt to save its aging Swift Observatory after Katalyst Space Technologies ran into control problems with the rescue spacecraft. The telescope will now be left to fall back into the atmosphere later this year.
NASA said the telescope is not expected to reenter before October. The agency had paid Katalyst $30 million to try to raise Swift to a safer, longer-lasting orbit after intense solar activity caused it to lose altitude faster than expected.
Katalyst's Link spacecraft went into an uncontrollable spin a few weeks after its early July launch. Although controllers reduced the tumble, the company said problems with pointing and positioning continued in orbit.
Swift, launched in 2004, has spent more than two decades observing some of the universe's most powerful events, including gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars. Katalyst said it will keep Link operating near the telescope to demonstrate capabilities for future rescue missions.
NASA老化的Swift空间望远镜救援任务被叫停
NASA已经叫停了拯救老化Swift天文台的尝试，因为Katalyst Space Technologies的救援飞行器出现了控制问题。该望远镜现在将于今年晚些时候重新坠入大气层。
NASA表示，这台望远镜最早要到10月之后才会再入。此前，NASA向Katalyst支付了3000万美元，希望在强烈太阳活动导致Swift比预期更快失去高度后，将其抬升到更安全、寿命更长的轨道。
Katalyst的Link飞行器在7月初发射数周后进入了无法控制的旋转。尽管控制人员后来减缓了翻滚，飞行中的指向和位置控制问题仍然持续。
Swift于2004年发射，20多年来一直观测宇宙中最剧烈的事件，包括伽马射线暴和恒星爆炸。Katalyst表示，将继续让Link在望远镜附近运行，以展示未来救援任务所需的能力。