NASA Swift Observatory Nears Reentry After Rescue Spacecraft Fails

NASA’s 22-year-old Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is losing altitude and is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere in the coming weeks or months, likely in October or November 2026. A $30 million rescue effort by Katalyst Space Technologies failed after its Link spacecraft suffered control-system problems and used too much fuel; it approached Swift and tested its robotic arms and thrusters but could not capture or boost the telescope. Swift has resumed science observations to collect data before increasing atmospheric drag makes normal operations impractical. Most of the observatory is expected to burn up, and any surviving debris is considered unlikely to threaten people because it would probably land in the ocean or an uninhabited area.