Private mission to rescue NASA’s aging telescope runs into its own trouble

The spacecraft rushing to the rescue of NASA’s sinking Swift Observatory has run into trouble. Katalyst Space Technologies said Tuesday that its Link satellite is experiencing thruster problems and has gone into an uncontrollable spin that is disrupting communication. The company is working nonstop to get its three-armed robotic spacecraft back in action so it can capture Swift and boost the telescope to a higher orbit. Swift will crash back to Earth this fall without help. NASA is paying $30 million for the rescue effort that launched earlier this month.

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