NASA’s Swift Observatory may have failed to control the situation

NASA agency Observatorium Swift Neil Geirels It’s having a hard time after 17 years of mostly smooth service. Orbit explorer I’m in Safe mode after detecting “potential damage” in one of the six reaction wheels used to change the situation. While it’s not clear exactly what (if anything) went wrong, NASA has suspended directional science observations until it can provide full clarity or resume operations on five wheels.

This is the first potential problem with the reaction wheel since the Swift Observatory began operating in February 2005, NASA said. The rest of the vehicle worked fine.

The Swift Observatory has played an important role in astronomy over the past two decades. It was built especially to detect Gamma ray burst It detects about 70 per day. However, it is increasingly being used as a pan-observer across a wide range of wavelengths, detecting solar flares and hard-to-find stars. NASA doesn’t necessarily have a serious problem if Swift has a permanent problem, but it would certainly benefit from keeping the spacecraft running as smoothly as possible.

–

All products recommended by Engadget are handpicked by our editorial team, regardless of the parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.