NASA has ceased efforts to prevent the orbital decay of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. This cancellation followed technical difficulties encountered by the LINK spacecraft, which was launched for the rescue mission.
The telescope, which is over twenty years old, is expected to enter the Earth's atmosphere and be destroyed before the end of 2026. Swift has been operating in low Earth orbit since 2004, conducting research on gamma-ray bursts—extremely powerful and brief energy emissions in space.
The spacecraft's initial service life was estimated at about two years, but it significantly exceeded this period and became an important instrument for monitoring high-energy phenomena in the universe.
The primary cause of the problem was the lowering of the telescope's orbit. Increased solar activity led to the heating of the Earth's upper atmospheric layers, which increased drag and accelerated Swift's loss of altitude.
Previously, NASA suspended a significant portion of scientific observations to buy time for the rescue operation.
Preparation and problems with the rescue mission
To carry out the rescue, NASA contracted the American company Katalyst Space Technologies for $30 million. Over a nine-month period, this company developed and prepared the LINK spacecraft, which was intended to approach Swift, capture it using robotic manipulators, and boost it to an altitude of about 600 kilometers.
However, shortly after its launch on July 3, the LINK spacecraft experienced issues with its orientation system. It began spinning uncontrollably, and communication with it became unstable. Although engineers managed to partially slow the rotation, full control recovery proved impossible.
As a result, NASA and Katalyst decided to abandon the plans to capture and lift Swift. The LINK spacecraft will not be decommissioned; it is planned to continue being used for approaching the telescope and testing technologies that may be useful for servicing other satellites.
Swift, now more than two decades old, is effectively doomed to leave orbit. NASA predicts that the telescope will enter the atmosphere and disintegrate later this year. Since there is no direct replacement available yet, its scientific tasks will have to be partially redistributed among other space observatories.
Despite the failure of this operation, the experience gained may prove valuable for future space missions. NASA views this case as the first practical step toward developing technologies that allow for repairing, relocating, and extending the service life of satellites directly in orbit.
Furthermore, NASA had previously estimated the cost of the first demonstration mission using a nuclear electric propulsion engine at $2.1 billion. The launch of the Space Reactor-1 Freedom spacecraft to Mars is scheduled for late 2028, and its goal will be to deliver three research helicopters to study the planet's surface.
