NASA aborts rescue attempt as Swift satellite heads for final re-entry
NASA cancelled the LINK probe mission intended to capture the aging Swift observatory, which will now continue descending and is expected to burn up by year-end.
NASA’s recent attempt to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory ended in failure after the LINK probe, built by Katalyst Space, suffered altitude-system malfunctions shortly after launch in July. The mission, described by NASA’s astrophysics division chief as high-risk, high-reward, aimed to use robotic arms and thrusters to pull the 2004-launched satellite back into a usable orbit. Swift is now succumbing to increased atmospheric drag caused by recent intense solar activity, accelerating its descent toward re-entry, which is projected for the end of this year.
Despite the setback, the observatory’s operations team has restarted two of its three telescopes, with the X-ray instrument already capturing images of the Tycho supernova remnant. Work continues to bring the Burst Alert Telescope back online in the coming weeks, allowing Swift to gather as much scientific data as possible before it burns up in the atmosphere.
Why it matters
The loss of Swift ends a two-decade source of vital high-energy astrophysical observations.
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