After more than 20 years studying some of the most violent phenomena in the universe, one of NASA's observatories is nearing the end of its operational life. The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in November 2004, is progressively losing altitude and is expected to end by re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
The U.S. space agency had initiated an ambitious operation to prevent this outcome. In September 2025, it contracted Katalyst Space Technologies to develop a robotic spacecraft capable of reaching Swift, capturing it, and elevating it to a safer orbit. The contract was for approximately 30 million dollars.
However, the mission did not go as planned. The LINK spacecraft, specially designed for the rescue, suffered technical problems after its launch and will no longer be able to capture or elevate the telescope.
NASA confirmed on August 19 that the attempt to raise Swift's orbit has been canceled, although LINK will still attempt to approach the observatory to test technologies that could be used in future satellite maintenance missions.
Why NASA's Swift telescope will fall to Earth
Swift was originally placed in an orbit of approximately 600 kilometers in altitude. Unlike other satellites, it does not have a propulsion system that allows it to perform the necessary maneuvers to regain lost altitude.
All objects in low Earth orbit are subjected, to a greater or lesser extent, to friction with particles present in the upper layers of the atmosphere. Over time, this drag can cause a gradual decrease in orbit.
In Swift's case, the recent increase in solar activity accelerated the process. Energy from the Sun can expand the upper layers of the atmosphere, increasing the drag experienced by satellites and causing them to lose altitude more quickly.
In light of this scenario, NASA decided to attempt something that had never been done in this way: send a commercial robotic spacecraft to capture a satellite from the agency that was originally not designed to receive maintenance in space.
The Swift Boost mission formally began when LINK was launched on July 3, 2026 aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
The spacecraft was to rendezvous with Swift, secure it using its robotic systems, and progressively raise its orbit. If successful, in addition to extending the scientific life of the observatory, it would have demonstrated a new capability to rescue and maintain aging satellites. But a few weeks after the launch, problems began.
