A mission to save a NASA satellite from burning up in the atmosphere has failed, the US space agency said Wednesday, as the rescue spacecraft could not be controlled.
The Swift space telescope, which studies the most powerful explosions in the universe, will now likely plunge back to earth and disintegrate along the way later this year.
The unprecedented $30 million dollar mission attempted to send a robot to grab the telescope and move it farther into orbit.
“This is not the outcome we were working toward, but it does not change why this mission was worth attempting,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said.
Planners had hoped the mission would pave the way for giving other satellites a second life.
