NASA's hired robot to boost Swift telescope spins out of control
A Katalyst Space spacecraft intended to lift the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to a higher orbit has begun tumbling, after two reaction wheels failed and a thruster problem emerged.
NASA contracted Katalyst Space to deliver a robotic tug that would attach to the aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and lift it to a more stable orbit, allowing the gamma-ray burst detector to keep operating beyond its original lifespan. The LINK spacecraft lifted off on July 3 on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus launch vehicle and spent weeks undergoing system checks before heading toward Swift. Over the weekend the vehicle lost control, with two of its three reaction wheels failing and a problem reported in one of its thruster clusters, causing it to spin and point its antenna away from Earth.
Flight controllers have begun a series of corrective burns using alternate thrusters, which NASA says are already reducing the spin rate. Kieran Wilson, the mission’s chief engineer, had previously noted the accelerated schedule and limited budget increased risk. Katalyst recently raised a $12 million round backed by Fortitude Ventures and Geodesic Capital, and also receives funding from the U.S. military for related satellite-servicing technologies.
Why it matters
The failure threatens the plan to extend Swift's mission, impacting observations of transient cosmic events.
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