NASA iyo Katalyst Space sheegayaan in LINK aysan ku kordhin doonin orbitka Swift
NASA iyo Katalyst Space ayaa maanta sheegay in LINK aysan ku kordhin doonin orbitka Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory sababtoo ah khilaaf la xiriira xakamaynta nidaamka, balse ay weli doonayaan inay gaaraan dhinaca qaybta oo ay sameeyaan baaritaanno muhiim ah.
Sababta Khilaafka iyo Xaaladda Hadda Jirta
NASA iyo Katalyst Space ayaa sheegay in LINK aysan ku kordhin doonin orbitka Swift, iyadoo la sheegay in khilaaf la xiriira xakamaynta nidaamka (attitude control) uu saameeyay qorshaha hore. LINK waxay horey u sameysay baaritaanno waaweyn, laakiin khilaafkaas wuxuu ka hor istaagay inay ku kordhisato orbitka Swift.
Waxaa la sheegay in LINK ay horey u gashay orbitka, laakiin khilaafka xakamaynta nidaamka uu ka hor istaagay inay ku kordhisato orbitka Swift. NASA iyo Katalyst ayaa weli doonaya inay sameeyaan baaritaanno muhiim ah, iyagoo diiradda saaraya inay ka faa'iideystaan fursaddan.
Hadallo Ka Yimid Saraakiisha NASA
Wasiirka NASA, Jared Isaacman, wuxuu yiri: 'NASA waa inay si degdeg ah u socotaan oo ay qaadaan khataraha macquulka ah marka faa'iiddu ay ka weyn tahay khataraha.' Waxaana uu intaas ku daray: 'Tani ma ahan natiijada aan u doonaynay, laakiin ma beddelin inay tahay mid aan u baahnay inaan isku dayno.'
Shawn Domagal-Goldman, hoggaamiyaha qaybta Astrophysics, wuxuu yiri: 'Waxaan ognahay inay tahay missiyo aad u khatar ah, laakiin waxaan u baahnay inaan ka faa'iideysto faa'iidaha ay bixin karto.' Waxaana uu intaas ku daray: 'Waxaan u baahnay inaan ka faa'iideysto faa'iidaha ay bixin karto.'
Xaaladda Swift iyo Qorshayaasha Hore
Swift waxaa loo sameeyay inay shaqeyso muddo laba sano ah, laakiin kadib 21 sano oo shaqeyn ah, orbitka ayaa bilaabay inuu hoos u dhaco sababtoo ah faa'iidooyinka qorraxda. NASA waxay u aragtaa in Swift ay dib u soo laaban karto dhulka haddii aan la qaban.
NASA waxay 2025-kii ku wareejisay Katalyst inay sameyso missiyo robot ah oo Swift loogu talagalay inay ka faa'iideysto faa'iidaha qorraxda. LINK waxay laabatay orbitka July 3, 2025, iyadoo la isticmaashay rakibka Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL.
NASA and Katalyst Space confirmed Wednesday that the LINK spacecraft will not capture or boost the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to a higher orbit as originally planned, due to an attitude control issue that emerged after launch.
Mission Pivot Announced
The LINK spacecraft, which launched July 3 on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll, successfully established communications and completed in-orbit checkouts before encountering attitude control problems. Despite the setback, the vehicle will still attempt rendezvous and proximity operations with Swift to demonstrate key servicing capabilities for future missions.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged the disappointment, stating that the outcome was not what the team was working toward, but emphasized that the mission was still worth attempting given the potential return on investment for advancing satellite servicing technology.
Swift's Orbit Decay and Mission Context
Swift, launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts and other cosmic events, was designed for a two-year prime mission but has operated for 21 years. Increased solar activity caused its low Earth orbit to decay rapidly, prompting NASA to award Katalyst a contract in September 2025 to mount a robotic servicing mission in under a year.
Without intervention, NASA anticipates Swift will likely re-enter Earth's atmosphere later this year. The agency had hoped the LINK mission would extend Swift's operational life and gather additional scientific data, but the attitude control failure has altered those plans.
High-Risk, High-Reward Approach Praised
Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of NASA's Astrophysics Division, described the mission as a first-of-its-kind attempt developed on an unprecedented timeline driven by the Sun's activity. He noted that while the team hoped for more science from Swift, the takeaways from the mission would be worthwhile regardless of the outcome.
Domagal-Goldman praised the team for reaching the launch pad in record time and highlighted that building, testing, and operating the mission has already strengthened America's space industry pipeline and advanced in-space servicing capabilities in new ways.
