NASA's Robot Was Supposed to Save a Space Telescope. Instead, It Started Spinning Out of Control.
Space missions are already difficult. But imagine launching a robot whose job is to rescue another spacecraft only for the rescue robot itself to end up needing help. That is exactly what has happened in one of NASA's most ambitious commercial space missions. A robotic spacecraft built to extend the life of NASA's aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has suffered a major malfunction after reaching orbit, throwing the entire rescue mission into uncertainty.
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