NASA Swift satellite rescue mission fails

NASA said Wednesday that a $30 million mission to save its Swift space telescope had failed because the rescue spacecraft could not be controlled.

Swift, which studies powerful explosions in the universe, will likely re-enter Earth's atmosphere and disintegrate later this year, the US space agency said.

The mission attempted to send an unmanned spacecraft to grab the telescope and move it higher in orbit. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the outcome was not what the agency had sought but said the attempt was still worth making.

The rescue spacecraft was developed by the US startup Katalyst and launched on July 3 by a Pegasus rocket that was carried by an airplane. On July 28, Katalyst said the spacecraft had been in an out-of-control spin for 72 hours and had multiple problems, including loss of communications.

Katalyst said Wednesday that ongoing attitude control issues led it and NASA to call off the mission. NASA said the spacecraft would still try to reach Swift so scientists and engineers could gather lessons for future satellite servicing missions.

NASA launched Swift in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts.