Robotic Spacecraft Gets Within 12 Kilometres but Fails to Save NASA's Swift Telescope

A robotic spacecraft built to rescue one of NASA's longest-serving space telescopes has failed to reach it, running out of enough fuel to complete the attempt. The spacecraft, called LINK and built by Catalyst Space Technologies, aimed to reach the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, grab it with three robotic arms, and use its own thrusters to lift both spacecraft into a higher orbit.

Swift, launched in 2004 for what was originally meant to be a two-year mission, has spent more than two decades observing gamma-ray bursts, exploding stars and other brief cosmic events. According to NASA, intense recent solar activity has expanded Earth's upper atmosphere, increasing drag on Swift and causing it to lose altitude faster than expected, putting it at risk of re-entering the atmosphere sometime between October and the end of 2026.

NASA signed a $30 million contract with Catalyst for the rescue attempt, and LINK was developed in about nine months and launched into orbit in early July 2026. Swift was never designed for another spacecraft to approach, dock with or repair it, so LINK had to locate its target, approach a satellite travelling at kilometres per second with precision, and grab it with a robotic arm without causing a dangerous collision.

Problems began soon after launch, when the spacecraft started spinning uncontrollably; ground engineers eventually stabilised it, but the manoeuvre used up a large share of its fuel reserves. On 20 August, NASA and Catalyst decided to cancel the plan to grab Swift and lift its orbit, since LINK did not have enough fuel left to safely complete the full sequence of manoeuvres.

LINK did not shut down immediately. Catalyst used its remaining fuel to test technologies for future satellite-repair missions, manoeuvring to within about 12 to 15 kilometres of Swift, observing it with its sensors, and deploying its three one-metre robotic arms and its xenon-powered thrusters. Catalyst chief executive Gonhi Lee said the mission came very close to succeeding, but not close enough, and that LINK would not try to reach Swift again.

Swift itself was reactivated for scientific observations in late August, after being temporarily shut down to conserve power. Without another rescue plan, the telescope is likely to re-enter Earth's atmosphere later this year.