NASA’s Swift rescue spacecraft spins out of control after losing two reaction wheels

Katalyst Space’s LINK servicing spacecraft hit an attitude-control failure during commissioning and began spinning.

Two of its three reaction wheels are no longer working, and its cold gas thrusters have also degraded.

Katalyst is using electric propulsion to stop the spin before reassessing the spacecraft’s condition.

The problem puts LINK’s planned rendezvous with NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, and the orbit-raising rescue mission, under review.