NASA ended the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory’s science mission on October 23, 2026, three days after Swift made its final observation. NASA said atmospheric drag had lowered the observatory below 275 kilometers (171 miles), where its telescopes could no longer steadily observe astronomical targets.
Why LINK could not complete the rescue
Katalyst Space Technologies says an electrical-power-system fault made two of LINK’s three reaction wheels unavailable, sending the spacecraft into a multi-axis spin. During recovery, Hall-effect thrusters reduced LINK’s rotation rate from 9 to 1.47 degrees per second. But controlling the spacecraft with reaction-control thrusters rapidly consumed propellant, leaving too little fuel for a safe capture of Swift and an orbit raise.
LINK later approached to within 12 to 15 kilometers of Swift and collected imagery that Katalyst describes as unresolved. Katalyst says LINK reentered Earth’s atmosphere on September 25, 2026, after 85 days in orbit. NeoTeo previously covered LINK’s failed attempt to raise Swift’s orbit.
Swift’s public archive remains available
NASA describes Swift’s public archive as roughly 12 terabytes, with nearly 22 years of brightness measurements and more than 1.5 million images from its Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope. The end of observations leaves that data available to researchers.
NASA says Swift observed more than 2,000 gamma-ray bursts and more than 1,400 supernovae. Its data contributed to about 7,000 published scientific papers. Swift was designed for a two-year primary mission and operated productively for more than 10 times that duration.
Swift’s rapid response to cosmic events
Swift was built to locate gamma-ray bursts, send their positions to other observatories, then turn its telescopes toward the bursts and image them. NASA says this process typically took about one minute.
NASA is exploring ways to sustain rapid observations of cosmic events by using or augmenting existing space telescopes, commercial fast-to-orbit capabilities, and new missions.
