NASA's Swift Boost Mission Falls Short but Yields Insights
NASA's attempt to raise the Swift Observatory's orbit using a commercial partner, Katalyst Space, didn't go as planned: their spacecraft had communication and control issues, so the team scrapped the orbit boost. Instead, they ran tech demos with the craft’s robotic arms and propulsion. NASA says the experience is a win for future repair and servicing missions, even if Swift’s days in orbit are numbered.
- Orbit boost attempt was abandoned mid-mission
- Katalyst had only one year from contract to launch
- LINK spacecraft suffered communication and control faults
- Mission pivoted to technology demonstrations only
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