The spacecraft Link experienced thermal damage and thruster issues after an automated fault-protection system triggered an unplanned shutdown, according to Lee.
The problem started when onboard logic, meant to reset the system after 24 hours without communication, performed what Lee described as an “ungraceful” power cycle. “It basically pulls the plug on everything,” he said. The sudden shutdown caused a thermal spike that overheated circuits controlling the reaction wheels, rendering them unusable.
Thermal spike linked to reaction wheel failure
Lee explained that the shutdown was a built-in safety measure. “This was built-in fault protection logic saying, ‘If I haven’t heard from anybody in 24 hours, there must be something wrong. I’m going to toggle the power.’”
The cold gas thrusters presented a different challenge. Engineers have not yet determined whether their issues resulted from the same event or arose separately. “These problems all occurred simultaneously, making it difficult to separate cause from effect,” Lee said.
Katalyst continues to examine the data to establish the exact sequence of failures. The firm is working with NASA to evaluate the spacecraft’s status and potential recovery methods.
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Mission to inspect NASA’s Swift observatory still planned
Despite the challenges, Katalyst intends to proceed with its mission to reach NASA’s Swift gamma-ray observatory. The company plans to attempt a rendezvous by late August. “We’re very committed to pursuing this mission,” Lee stated.
Engineers believe they can restore three-axis control using the remaining reaction wheel, thrusters, and electric propulsion. “It’s not the original control method we planned, but we should have enough stability,” Lee said. “We’re working side by side with NASA. I just came from a technical working meeting with their controls team, where we’re reviewing the algorithms. It seems like there’s nothing that is preventing us from reestablishing three-axis control of the spacecraft with the remaining reaction wheel, with the remaining thrusters, as well as the electric propulsion.”
If successful, Link could inspect Swift from a short distance. “We believe we’ll be able to go and do things like the inspection of Swift within a close approach of a few dozen meters. And as it stands right now, we have not made a formal assessment, but we believe that a capture of Swift, an attempted capture of Swift, is very much in the cards.”
Stabilizing the spacecraft and verifying its maneuverability are the current priorities. The situation demonstrates the challenges of automated systems in space, where even carefully designed safeguards can lead to unexpected outcomes. The team’s flexibility in adjusting control methods will likely decide whether the mission moves forward as intended.