An ambitious plan to rescue a space telescope launched into Earth orbit in 2004, which is currently losing altitude due to atmospheric drag, has ended in failure.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, NASA had signed a $30 million contract with Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies to boost the telescope's orbit. The project involved a specialized spacecraft named "LINK," designed to dock with the telescope and maneuver it into a higher, safer orbit.
The "LINK" spacecraft was launched on July 3 aboard a Pegasus XL rocket, owned by Northrop Grumman. However, the craft encountered severe control issues shortly after reaching orbit.
Despite extensive efforts by specialists to update the software and stabilize the spacecraft's rotation, the technical malfunctions persisted. Consequently, NASA officially announced the termination of the orbit-raising mission.
Nevertheless, officials stated that the mission was not entirely fruitless. NASA leadership noted that the experience gained during this attempt provides critical insights for future space missions. Although the primary objective was abandoned, the "LINK" spacecraft will continue to perform maneuvers to test proximity and docking technologies.
The telescope in question, the Swift space telescope, is dedicated to studying gamma-ray bursts. It is currently expected to re-enter the atmosphere and disintegrate in the near future. Such missions are part of broader efforts by international space agencies to extend the operational life of orbital assets, a critical challenge as the number of satellites and observatories in low Earth orbit continues to grow.
