CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A private **** ecraft that was supposed to provide a lifeline to NASA's Swift Observatory managed to get close to the sinking telescope and even snap photos two weeks after the rescue was abandoned.
But the three-armed robotic salvager had to turn away because it was low on fuel, according to Katalyst **** e Technologies, which attempted the daring operation.
"We got so close, but so far," Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee told The **** ociated Press this week.
Katalyst's Link **** ecraft got within 15 kilometers (9 miles) of Swift on Tuesday, using its sensors to gather data on the doomed telescope for NASA. The rescue effort had already been called off in August because of Link's own troubles in orbit, but the company wanted the practice for future satellite-servicing missions.
Link went into an uncontrollable spin soon after rocketing to Swift's rescue in July. Flight controllers managed to slow the tumble and stabilize the **** ecraft, using up precious fuel. In the end, there was not enough fuel remaining to boost the aging Swift into a higher, longer-lasting orbit so it could continue observing the cosmos.

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