Katalyst Space Technologies' robotic spacecraft Link, a $30 million mission launched on July 3 from Kwajalein Atoll, reentered Earth's atmosphere on September 25 after failing to raise the orbit of NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. The three-armed spacecraft was unable to complete its rescue mission despite nearly three months of operation.
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Private spacecraft falls back to Earth after failing to rescue aging NASA telescope AP News
The robotic spacecraft that failed to rescue an aging NASA telescope has plunged back to Earth less than three months after launching on the bold mission.
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Spacecraft returns to Earth after rescue mission for ageing Nasa telescope fails | Nasa | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/sep/25/nasa-telescope-rescue-mission-fails Series of in-flight problems meant Link, a ‘commercial space robot’, could not salvage the Nasa observatory
The Link spacecraft returned to Earth on September 25 after failing to raise the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Launched on July 3 from Kwajalein Atoll, Link was meant to capture the aging telescope and use Link’s propulsion system to lift it into a higher orbit, extending its scientific operating life [theguardian.com#1][36kr.com#1][bluewin.ch#1]. Link failed to capture Swift, th