NASA cancels Swift telescope rescue mission, satellite slated for reentry

NASA announced Wednesday that the planned rescue of the Swift Observatory has been abandoned, meaning the space telescope will continue its uncontrolled descent and is expected to burn up in the atmosphere by late 2026. The decision follows a series of technical problems with the Katalyst-built Link spacecraft, which was launched in early July to capture and boost Swift to a higher orbit.

Katalyst said Link could not achieve a stable attitude control after entering an uncontrolled spin, and continued issues with its pointing and positioning prevented the capture maneuver. NASA had paid the company $30 million in an effort to extend Swift’s operational life after intense solar activity accelerated its orbital decay.

"This is not the outcome we were working toward, but it does not change why this mission was worth attempting," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement.

Swift, launched in 2004, has been tracking gamma-ray bursts and other cosmic explosions for more than two decades. Its instruments were turned off earlier this year to reduce drag, and the satellite is currently orbiting about 216 miles above Earth, descending roughly five miles each month. Forecasts place its altitude at around 186 miles by October, after which reentry is expected.

Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee noted that the project was assembled on an aggressive timeline and that the team had achieved several technical milestones despite the setback.

"We took on this high-risk, high-reward challenge and are proud of the milestones we reached along the way," Lee said.

The company will keep Link operating near Swift to demonstrate capabilities for future rescue missions. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, also experiencing orbital decay, was slated for a similar boost but its status after the Swift mission’s failure remains uncertain.