NASA's Swift Rescue Mission Fails; Observatory to Burn Up

NASA's attempt to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has concluded unsuccessfully. The mission, initiated in July, sought to elevate the telescope's orbit but was interrupted on August 19 due to a control malfunction with the commercial spacecraft. Experts anticipate that Swift will re-enter Earth's atmosphere later this year. Since its launch in November 2004, the observatory has recorded approximately 2,000 gamma-ray bursts over its 21-year lifespan. The rescue effort was instigated by intense solar activity in late 2024, culminating in a $30 million agreement with Katalyst Space Technologies in September 2025. Although the LINK spacecraft launched on July 3 encountered control problems and failed, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman remarked that the mission was still a valuable endeavor. Katalyst will maintain LINK's operations in orbit.