NASA's $30 Million Bid To Save Ageing Swift Observatory Called off After Rescue Craft Suffers Control Problems

NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies have officially abandoned their £23.5 million mission to rescue the decaying Swift Observatory after the Link spacecraft suffered severe orbital control failures (Credit: Phyllis Lilienthal/Pexels)

An attempted £23.5 million ($30 million) mission to save NASA's ageing Swift Observatory has been called off after the Link rescue spacecraft developed control problems in orbit, leaving the space telescope on course to burn up in Earth's atmosphere.

NASA and its commercial partner Katalyst Space Technologies confirmed on Wednesday that they had jointly decided to abandon the salvage effort after failing to correct the anomalies on the autonomous servicing craft.