NASA and Katalyst Space have announced that the LINK spacecraft will not move forward with the planned boost to extend the life of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. An ongoing issue with the commercial spacecraft's attitude control system prevents the intended orbit adjustment. Despite this setback, the team will move ahead with a rendezvous and proximity demonstration to gather data for future satellite servicing operations.
Administrator Jared Isaacman stated the agency remains committed to taking smart risks on challenging missions. This project moved from contract to launch in less than a year to address the rapid orbital decay of the Swift observatory, which has been operational since 2004. While the primary objective of extending the science mission is off the table, the data collected from the upcoming rendezvous maneuver provides value for the aerospace industry.
Swift is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere later this year. NASA continues to prioritize rapid responses to cosmic events by shifting resources to other active missions. The experience gained from building and launching this mission in record time serves as a case study for future commercial partnerships in space.
The mission timeline was accelerated due to increased solar activity impacting the low Earth orbit of the Swift satellite. This observatory has tracked gamma-ray bursts and cosmic events for over two decades. NASA plans to keep the public informed through the official project blog as the LINK spacecraft approaches the observatory for the final demonstration phase.