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NASA ends Swift observatory mission as spacecraft falls toward Earth
NASA said the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory ended science operations after atmospheric drag left it too low to keep a steady gaze, with re-entry expected in weeks.
- Space.com is now reporting this
- New headline Was: “NASA ends Swift observatory science mission as orbit decays”
- Our desk updated its story
NASA said the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has ended its science mission after atmospheric drag dropped the spacecraft below 171 miles (275 kilometers), too low for its telescopes to hold a steady gaze on astronomical targets2.
The agency said Swift made its last observation on Oct. 20 and is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere in the next few weeks2. Space.com reported the end of science operations followed a failed attempt by a private satellite to meet Swift and raise its orbit1.
Swift launched Nov. 20, 2004, on a two-year primary mission to catch gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions known, then slew other telescopes onto the afterglows within about a minute2. NASA renamed the mission in 2018 for first principal investigator Neil Gehrels2.
NASA said Swift observed more than 2,000 gamma-ray bursts and more than 1,400 supernovas, among other targets, that its public archive is about 12 terabytes, and that the data have contributed to about 7,000 published papers2.
Space.com reported NASA awarded Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies a $30 million contract in September 2025 to boost Swift, which has no thrusters to fight drag1. Katalyst's refrigerator-sized LINK craft launched July 3, 2026, aiming to grapple Swift with robotic arms, an unprecedented private capture of a satellite not built to be serviced1.
About three weeks after launch, Space.com said, LINK had propulsion and reaction-wheel problems, began spinning unexpectedly, and fell back to Earth on Sept. 251. NASA's Oct. 23 statement did not mention the rescue attempt2.
Shawn Domagal-Goldman, NASA astrophysics division director, said Swift delivered a return far beyond its two-year design and showed how important rapid-response observations are2. NASA said it is exploring other telescopes and commercial options to fill that gap while the archive remains public2.
