Gyro Issue

"NASA's Patch to Resolve Swift's Gyro Issue"

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has entered safe mode due to degradation in one of its three gyroscopes, requiring a software update to continue with two remaining gyros. The spacecraft, launched in 2004, studies gamma-ray bursts and is facing an uncertain future, with extended mission operations only running through FY2025. The spacecraft's instruments include the Burst Alert Telescope, X-ray telescope, and Ultraviolet/Optical telescope. NASA is working on a patch to address the gyro issue, but science operations are expected to be limited until the patch is successfully deployed.