WASHINGTON \u2014 Katalyst Space and NASA have called off plans to use the company\u2019s Link spacecraft to raise the orbit of the agency\u2019s Swift gamma-ray observatory, citing attitude-control problems with the spacecraft.<\/p>\n
The company announced<\/a> Aug. 20 that it concluded, in consultation with NASA, that its Link spacecraft will not attempt to grapple Swift and raise its orbit as originally planned. The company said the decision was based on \u201congoing attitude control issues\u201d with Link but did not elaborate.<\/p>\n Katalyst launched Link July 3 on a Pegasus XL rocket<\/a> on a mission to grapple Swift and raise its orbit. While the company initially reported Link was in good condition after launch, it stated July 28 that the spacecraft had entered a multi-axis spin<\/a> caused by attitude-control problems, including the loss of two of its three reaction wheels. The spacecraft\u2019s reaction control system thrusters were only partially working.<\/p>\n By early August, the company said it had slowed that spin<\/a> from 9 degrees per second to 1.47 degrees per second by using the electric thrusters intended to change the spacecraft\u2019s orbit.<\/p>\n It subsequently reported that controllers installed new flight software on the spacecraft. \u201cWe expect the updated configuration to support rendezvous operations and, in the next phase of the mission, attempt to capture and boost NASA\u2019s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory,\u201d it said in an Aug. 11 post<\/a>. Link was then expected to reach Swift in late August.<\/p>\n Neither Katalyst nor NASA elaborated on what led them to conclude that Link could not safely grapple and boost Swift. Both, though, said that Link would perform rendezvous and proximity operations in the vicinity of Swift in place of a reboost.<\/p>\n \u201cKatalyst designed, developed and launched an experimental spacecraft to go after an ambitious mission on an aggressive timeline. We took on this high-risk, high-reward challenge and are proud of the milestones we reached along the way,\u201d Ghonhee Lee, chief executive of Katalyst Space Technologies, said in a statement.<\/p>\n The announcement comes almost exactly a year after NASA issued study contracts to Katalyst as well as Cambrian Works, partnered with Astroscale U.S., to examine the feasibility of reboosting Swift<\/a>. The studies came after agency assessments found that Swift\u2019s orbit was decaying faster than expected because of increased atmospheric drag, linked to high solar activity, that would cause Swift to reenter as soon as late 2026.<\/p>\n