What Happened
Reaction Wheel Failures Threaten Satellite Servicing Operation
A commercial satellite built to rescue NASA’s Swift gamma-ray telescope from a fiery reentry is experiencing problems of its own, with two of its three reaction wheels currently not operable. The Link satellite, developed by Katalyst Space Technologies, is having issues with attitude control, causing it to spin and resulting in sporadic communications. Despite the challenges, Katalyst plans to update the satellite’s guidance and navigation systems to accommodate its new configuration. The mission was first reported by Ars Technica.