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Rescue attempt for NASA's Swift observatory ends in failure

1 min read
Source: CNN
Rescue attempt for NASA's Swift observatory ends in failure
Photo: CNN
TL;DR

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, in orbit for nearly 22 years, is steadily losing altitude and is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere later this year. A companion LINK satellite launched to boost Swift could not complete the rescue due to ongoing attitude-control issues, delaying rendezvous and preventing a higher orbit, with NASA and its partner reframing the mission as a demonstration for future in-space servicing while other observatories fill the observational gap.

Topics:sciencescience-space#link-satellite#nasa#reentry#satellite-servicing#science-space#swift-observatory
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  1. Rescue mission can’t prevent NASA observatory from falling to Earth  CNN
  2. How a Wahoo ended up on a space rescue mission  UVA Today
  3. NASA Updates Next Steps for Commercial Swift Boost Mission  NASA (.gov)
  4. NASA calls off rescue effort to save doomed telescope  New Scientist
  5. Mission Impossible: NASA’s Effort to Rescue the Swift Observatory Has Failed  The National Interest

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