NASA Attempts a Daring Rescue: Reviving the Swift Space Telescope
NASA is embarking on an unprecedented mission too save its Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer, a multi-spectral space telescope launched in 2004. The telescope, crucial for identifying and observing the most energetic explosions in the universe, is currently facing an imminent threat of atmospheric disintegration.
Over the past two decades, Swift’s orbit has decayed from an initial altitude of 600 km to approximately 400 km. Critically, the telescope lacks any onboard propulsion system to correct its trajectory.NASA engineers predict Swift will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and be lost by the end of 2026 if no intervention occurs.
Despite the impending loss, NASA is determined to preserve the valuable technology aboard Swift. In september 2025, the agency awarded a contract to Katalyst Space Technologies, a burgeoning American start-up specializing in in-orbit maintenance, to attempt a daring orbit boost.This mission represents a first-of-its-kind effort to “rescue” a NASA scientific satellite using a private company.
The plan, scheduled for execution in June 2026, involves launching a small spacecraft via northrop grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket. This airborne rocket will be deployed from the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft at an altitude of 12,000 meters. Once in orbit, Katalyst’s spacecraft will have three weeks to locate, inspect, and grapple with the Swift telescope using three robotic arms.
The objective is to raise Swift’s orbit by 200 km, extending its operational lifespan by at least ten years. This is a particularly challenging undertaking as Swift was never designed for capture or towing.Moreover, the spacecraft must meticulously avoid orienting Swift towards the Sun, Earth, or Moon to prevent irreversible damage to its sensitive equipment.
If successful,this mission will mark a historic moment – the first time a NASA scientific satellite has been “saved” by a private vessel. Beyond preserving Swift, the mission could revolutionize the in-orbit service market and establish a precedent for rapid response missions to address future emergencies in orbital space.
