The European Space Agency's (ESA) NASA observatory has been forced to halt science operations due to a rapidly deteriorating orbit, with a rescue mission potentially being launched by the end of summer.
According to the ESA, the observatory's orbit is decaying at a rate of 1.5 km per day, leaving mission controllers with a limited window to launch a rescue mission.
In a statement, the ESA confirmed that the cause of the issue is currently unknown and is being investigated by experts.
The observatory has been in operation since 1995 and has been used for a range of scientific missions, including the detection of gamma-ray bursts and the study of the universe's dark matter.
The news has sparked concern among scientists and space enthusiasts, who fear that the loss of the observatory could set back scientific research and understanding of the universe.
The UK's Science Minister, George Freeman, has praised the ESA's efforts to rescue the observatory, saying: 'The loss of this observatory would be a significant blow to our understanding of the universe, and we must do everything in our power to prevent it.'