NASA's effort to rescue the Swift telescope, a space observatory launched in 2004, has ended in failure. The telescope, designed to study gamma-ray bursts—intense flashes of light in space—has been losing altitude due to atmospheric drag, a natural force that slows satellites in low Earth orbit. As it nears the end of its operational life, it will eventually re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up. In November 2025, NASA gave the task to Katalyst Space Technologies, a startup, to save the telescope with a spacecraft called LINK. Launched on July 3, LINK approached within ten kilometers of Swift but could not establish contact. It re-entered Earth's atmosphere on September 25, marking the end of the mission. Despite the failure, the mission is viewed as a significant accomplishment. According to Ars Technica, the fact that such a mission was launched at all is a major achievement. Typically, designing, building, and testing a satellite of this scale takes several years, but Katalyst completed the project in nine months using a flexible and accelerated process. The mission cost about $30 million, a fraction of the $1.5 billion spent on NASA’s earlier OSAM-1 project, which was canceled in 2024. The mission also proceeded during a partial government shutdown, which created challenges for funding and logistics. Katalyst needed quick access to parts, prompting NASA to speed up payments. In the meantime, Swift’s operators extended its life by reorienting the telescope to reduce drag, but this action temporarily halted scientific observations. Technical issues, such as overheating in the braking circuit of the telescope’s reaction wheels—gyroscopic devices that control its orientation—emerged after launch. These problems were not detected beforehand due to time constraints. While some systems, like robotic arms and plasma thrusters, functioned as planned, others failed, preventing the mission from achieving its goal. Although the mission did not succeed in saving Swift, its partial achievements are seen as a foundation for future low-cost orbital maintenance efforts. Kieran Wilson, Katalyst’s mission manager, said the results represent "a floor, not a ceiling" for what such missions can achieve. He expressed disappointment but acknowledged the progress made. NASA remains committed to pursuing similar missions, with officials stating this will not be the last attempt. The agency is already exploring potential maintenance missions for other aging telescopes, including Hubble and Chandra. Other companies, such as Starfish Space and Northrop Grumman, are also working on orbital rendezvous projects. The loss of Swift will create a significant gap in NASA’s scientific capabilities. According to Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of NASA’s astrophysics division, the telescope has made important contributions to understanding the universe. Orbital maintenance missions aim to extend satellite lifespans through various techniques, such as refueling, repairs, or controlled re-entry. A key part of these missions is the ability to physically interact with a satellite, using robotic arms or docking systems, and transferring energy or propellants. These efforts are seen as essential for reducing costs and managing space debris. Atmospheric drag, which affects satellites in low orbit, causes them to descend over time, even without technical failures. The atmosphere at this altitude is not entirely empty; it contains particles that gradually slow satellites down. As a satellite loses altitude, the drag increases, creating a snowball effect that accelerates its descent. Reorienting a satellite to reduce its exposure to atmospheric particles can buy time, but it may limit the use of its instruments. Without propulsion to raise its orbit, re-entry becomes inevitable. Reaction wheels, which are internal gyroscopes used to control orientation, depend on a control system that manages speed and temperature. If this system fails, attitude control becomes unstable, which can prevent the satellite from pointing its instruments or solar panels correctly. In a rendezvous mission, such instability can make the approach too risky.