Nearly a month after its launch, a cutting-edge commercial satellite designed to rescue NASA's Swift gamma-ray telescope from a fiery reentry is facing its own orbital predicament. The Link satellite developed by Katalyst Space Technologies experienced issues with its attitude control, causing it to spin and resulting in sporadic communication.

Preliminary investigation suggests that two of the three reaction wheels currently are not operable, and there is some loss of functionality in its cold gas thruster system. Reaction wheels work by discharging momentum to control the pointing or attitude of a spacecraft in orbit. The Link servicing satellite’s cold gas thruster system is used for finer control, particularly as it nears the mission's target: NASA's Swift observatory.

The electric thrusters are one of the most critical elements of the rescue mission. They will be used to raise the orbit of both satellites and save them from destruction. Katalyst is now calling upon the electric thrusters to stabilize the Link spacecraft’s attitude, something they were not intended to do.

Without a rescue, Swift is on track to reenter the atmosphere and burn up in the next few months. The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is nearly 22 years old and is operating well beyond its intended lifetime. The spacecraft cannot save itself because it lacks its own propulsion system. NASA officials want to keep Swift going because it is one of the only missions in the agency’s fleet tuned to detect gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the known universe.

NASA is paying Katalyst $30 million for this rescue service, emphasizing the importance of Swift's continued operation despite its age and limitations. This saga highlights the challenges and risks inherent in space missions, especially those that rely on external support to extend their lifespan.