NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory spent more than 20 years studying some of the universe’s most energetic events, especially gamma-ray bursts. As its orbit gradually decayed, NASA partnered with Katalyst Space on an ambitious rescue attempt using LINK, a robotic spacecraft designed to rendezvous with Swift, capture it, and boost it into a higher orbit.
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| NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory had been orbiting Earth since 2004. Yesterday, it returned to Earth in a fireball. Image via NASA. |
The rescue did not succeed. About three weeks after LINK’s July 3, 2026 launch, two of its three reaction wheels failed, causing attitude-control problems, an uncontrolled spin, and intermittent communications. LINK could no longer safely capture Swift. NASA and Katalyst continued proximity operations to gather data that could help improve future satellite-servicing missions.
With no way to raise its orbit, Swift eventually re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up. The observatory had carried three instruments: the Burst Alert Telescope, X-Ray Telescope, and Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope. Together, they allowed Swift to detect gamma-ray bursts, rapidly turn toward them, and study their X-ray, ultraviolet, and visible-light afterglows.
Although the rescue failed, the LINK mission provided valuable experience with spacecraft rendezvous and proximity operations. Swift leaves behind a significant scientific legacy after more than two decades of observing gamma-ray bursts and other transient events throughout the universe.
See video here.
