NASA fails to save Swift telescope, which will burn up in atmosphere

NASA has confirmed the failure of an ambitious mission to extend the operational life of its Swift space telescope. The plan involved a specialized robot spacecraft designed to capture the aging observatory and propel it into a higher orbit, thereby prolonging its scientific mission.

However, the mission encountered insurmountable difficulties. The U.S. startup Katalyst, responsible for the robotic spacecraft, reported "persistent altitude control problems." Consequently, the robot will not be able to capture or boost the Swift telescope as intended. Despite the failure to extend its orbit, the robot will attempt to get as close as possible to the telescope to gather maximum data.

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will not capture or propel the telescope to a higher orbit to extend its scientific mission as planned.

Launched in 2004, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is a crucial instrument for studying gamma-ray bursts, powerful and brief cosmic events. The telescope has been highly sought after by the scientific community. Its gradual loss of altitude posed a risk of re-entry and disintegration in Earth's atmosphere. The $30 million rescue mission aimed to save the $250 million telescope and grant it several more years of service.

The complex operation, which had never been performed in space before, involved the robot launching into an orbit near Swift, locating it, maneuvering around it, and then using its three mobile arms to attach and propel the telescope. The failure represents a significant loss for astrophysicists who rely on Swift's observations.

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accumulate a maximum of data