NASA rescue failed and Swift observatory will soon stop functioning

Technology Oct 01, 2026

NASA's effort to save the Swift observatory didn't go as planned: a robotic spacecraft launched in July 2026 couldn't steady the aging telescope, and ended up spinning out of control before burning up in Earth's atmosphere.

Now, Swift is dropping fast and will soon dip too low to keep working properly.

NASA reactivates Swift burst alert telescope

Even with re-entry looming, NASA has switched Swift's Burst Alert Telescope back on so it can catch new gamma ray bursts before time runs out.

LeoLabs says there's little risk from falling debris, as most pieces will land in empty areas or oceans.

Meanwhile, Katalyst Space's CEO Ghonhee Lee is staying positive: "While we did not accomplish every objective we set out to achieve, in less than a year we went from mission concept to launching and operating the first commercial space robot. This is a foundation we can build on,"

Since 2004, Swift has helped astronomers unlock some pretty big space mysteries.