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Swift’s Final Orbit Ends in Fire | Wilmington News
NASA’s Swift Observatory, the cosmic watchdog that’s tracked gamma ray bursts and exploding stars for over 20 years, is set to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere after October — its rescue mission by Katalyst Space Technologies has been called off. The $30 million plan to boost Swift using Katalyst’s Link spacecraft failed after the Link developed an uncontrollable spin post-launch, crippling its ability to maneuver. Though NASA and Katalyst acknowledge it wasn’t the outcome they hoped for, they’re proud of the attempt and the data gathered. Katalyst will keep Link in orbit nearby to test future…
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