---
title: "NASA Concludes 20-Year Mission of Swift Telescope: LINK Rescue Spacecraft Fails, Observatory to Burn Up in Atmosphere"
description: "NASA has confirmed the end of the Swift telescope mission: the LINK rescue spacecraft failed in July 2026, and the observatory, which served for over 20 years, will burn up in the atmosphere in the coming weeks."
date: 2026-10-27T17:16:41.654Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/nasa-concludes-swift-telescope-mission
tags: [nasa, swift-telescope, space-mission, gamma-ray-bursts, katalyst-space, orbital-decay]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# NASA Concludes 20-Year Mission of Swift Telescope: LINK Rescue Spacecraft Fails, Observatory to Burn Up in Atmosphere

![Orbital observatory Swift against the background of Earth and space](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/27/nasa-zavershaet-missiyu-teleskopa-swift-posle-neudachi-spasseniya/nasa-zavershaet-missiyu-teleskopa-swift-posle-neudachi-spasseniya-1.webp)

## Key Points

- The Swift telescope recorded its final scientific data on October 20, 2026; atmospheric entry is expected in the coming weeks
- The LINK rescue spacecraft (Katalyst Space Technologies) launched on July 3, 2026, but due to thruster and reaction wheel failures, lost control and burned up on September 25
- Swift, launched in 2004 for a 2-year mission, served for over 20 years and was renamed in honor of Neil Gehrels in 2018
- The rescue contract was awarded in September 2025 for $30 million

NASA has officially announced the conclusion of the mission for the Swift orbital observatory, one of the most productive scientific instruments in the history of space research. According to agency representatives, the telescope recorded its final scientific data on October 20, 2026. The spacecraft's entry into the dense layers of Earth's atmosphere is expected within the next few weeks, after which Swift will completely burn up. Scientists have monitored the observatory's orbital position for a long time because atmospheric drag caused the spacecraft to steadily lose altitude, and it lacked its own engines for orbital correction.

### Failed Rescue Attempt: LINK Spacecraft Loses Control

An attempt to extend Swift's life was undertaken on a commercial basis. In September 2025, NASA awarded a $30 million contract to Katalyst Space Technologies to develop and launch the LINK rescue spacecraft. The mission launched on July 3, 2026: LINK successfully approached the observatory to a distance of 12–15 kilometers and captured a series of photographs. However, during the final phase of the maneuver, the spacecraft encountered serious technical failures—the attitude control thrusters and reaction wheels failed. LINK lost control and began spinning uncontrollably. On September 25, 2026, the rescue spacecraft itself deorbited and burned up in Earth's atmosphere, failing to complete the task of boosting Swift to a higher orbit.

### Twenty Years on the Frontline of Astrophysics

The Swift telescope was launched into orbit in November 2004 with a single purpose—to detect and study gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosive events in the universe. The project was originally designed for a two-year operational life, but the spacecraft served for over two decades, vastly exceeding its projected lifespan. During this time, the observatory accumulated an unprecedented archive of observations that, according to the scientific community, will provide researchers with material for new discoveries for many decades to come. In 2018, the observatory was officially renamed the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory in honor of Neil Gehrels, the mission's first principal investigator, who passed away a year earlier.

### What's Next: Data Archive and Preparation for Atmospheric Re-entry

Although the physical existence of the spacecraft in orbit is coming to an end, Swift's scientific value is not zeroed out. The vast array of data collected over 20 years remains publicly accessible and continues to be used in research. NASA and partner institutions are monitoring the descent trajectory to determine the exact coordinates and time of atmospheric entry. Swift is expected to pass through the dense layers of the atmosphere and completely break up in the coming weeks, concluding one of the most enduring and productive missions in the history of American spaceflight.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Сгорит в атмосфере Земли: NASA завершает легендарную 20-летнюю миссию телескопа Swift](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zgorit-atmosferi-zemli-nasa-zavershue-legendarnu-1793113367.html) - Primary source containing all key facts: LINK launch dates, Katalyst contract, attitude control failure, date of final data (10/20/2026), mission history since 2004.
- [Зонд NASA упадет на Землю: аппарат Van Allen Probe A сгорит в атмосфере](https://fedpress.ru/article/3428477) - Source about another spacecraft (Van Allen Probe A), unrelated to the Swift mission. Used only for context checking and not included in the article.

## FAQ

### Why couldn't the Swift telescope maintain its orbit on its own?

Swift was not equipped with its own engines for orbital correction. Due to atmospheric drag, the spacecraft gradually lost altitude, and without external intervention, its descent was inevitable.

### What happened to the LINK rescue spacecraft?

LINK was launched on July 3, 2026, approached Swift to within 12–15 km, and photographed it. However, due to problems with its engines and attitude control reaction wheels, it lost control, began spinning uncontrollably, and burned up in the atmosphere on September 25, 2026.

### When will Swift burn up in the atmosphere?

According to NASA, entry into the dense layers of the atmosphere is expected within the next few weeks following October 27, 2026. The exact date depends on trajectory monitoring.

### What is Swift's scientific value after the mission's end?

Over 20 years of operation, the observatory has accumulated an extensive archive of gamma-ray burst observations, which will remain publicly accessible and used by scientists for decades.