Robot Ruckus: A Cautionary Tale for Space Exploration The recent malfunction of NASA's Link spacecraft, hired to lift the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to a higher orbit, serves as a stark reminder that even in space exploration, success and disaster are separated by a thin margin.
The incident raises important questions about the risks and rewards of outsourcing crucial missions to private companies.
NASA opted for a cost effective solution by hiring Katalyst Space to raise the observatory using the Link spacecraft, despite its planned retirement not being due until next year.