NASA Unveils First Images of SpaceX Rocket Impact Crater on the Moon
PUBLISHED Aug 20, 2026, 2:23 PM ET
NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies have officially called off the $30 million mission to rescue the aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory . The decision, announced on August 19, 2026, came after the LINK rescue spacecraft experienced persistent attitude control issues, including an uncontrollable spin that engineers could not fully correct . Launched on July 3, 2026, LINK was designed to grab the telescope with robotic arms and boost it to a higher orbit. However, after two of its three reaction wheels failed, the spacecraft began tumbling, hindering any safe approach . While controllers managed to slow the spin rate, they determined the spacecraft was not stable enough to attempt a capture . Without intervention, the 22-year-old Swift Observatory will now re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up later this year . NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that while the outcome was not desired, the high-risk attempt was still worth undertaking to advance future satellite-servicing capabilities .
By Michael Grant | JQJO News
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Left: Highlights NASA budget cuts as root cause of telescope replacement crisis. Center: Reports mission facts without assigning blame, focusing on technical failure details. Right: Frames failure as consequence of NASA relying on unproven commercial space startups.
NASA and Katalyst statement citing ongoing attitude control issues https://www.reuters.com/3fec1b0a85a0/science/nasa-katalyst-call-off-swift-rescue-mission-over-issues-with-rescue-craft-space-2026-08-19/
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NASA Unveils First Images of SpaceX Rocket Impact Crater on the Moon
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