NASA's bid to save a prized space telescope takes an alarming turn

Key Points:

• NASA launched a rescue mission in early July to save the Swift Observatory, a space telescope studying gamma-ray bursts, from falling out of low-Earth orbit due to increased atmospheric drag from solar storms.
• The mission involved Northrop Grumman launching the LINK spacecraft, developed by Katalyst Space, to rendezvous with Swift and boost its orbit; initial deployment and communication were successful.
• In late July, LINK encountered mechanical issues causing it to spin uncontrollably, leading to sporadic communications with ground control, though efforts are underway to stabilize the spacecraft using electric thruster burns.
• NASA remains cautiously optimistic about completing the mission by late August, which would extend Swift’s operational life and demonstrate a new capability for commercial robotic servicing of government satellites not originally designed for in-space maintenance.
• The successful rescue would prevent Swift from burning up in Earth's atmosphere in 2026, saving costs on replacement and advancing future satellite servicing technologies.