NASA Cancels Swift Rescue Mission, Telescope To Reenter This Year
On Wednesday, August 19, 2026, NASA and Katalyst announced that Katalyst's Link spacecraft will not attempt to capture or boost the Swift space telescope, meaning the observatory is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere this year.[1]
Katalyst said ongoing attitude-control and pointing problems prevented the company from attempting a capture or orbit raise.[2] NASA disclosed it had paid Katalyst $30 million for the attempted rescue mission.[1] Swift was about 216 miles in altitude the week before the announcement, losing roughly 5 miles per month and projected to reach about 186 miles in October 2026.[1]
Swift's science instruments were turned off earlier in 2026 to slow its descent after years of falling altitude, and the observatory has been in orbit since its 2004 launch that was originally planned as a two-year mission.[1] Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee said the Link mission was assembled in under a year on an aggressive timeline and called it a "high-risk, high-reward" effort from which the company has already learned "a tremendous amount." CBS News
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, "This is not the outcome we were working toward, but it does not change why this mission was worth attempting." CBS News NASA had indicated the Hubble Space Telescope was next in line for a similar orbital-boost attempt if the Swift boost succeeded, and that plan is now unclear.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, August 19, 2026, NASA and Katalyst announced that Katalyst's Link spacecraft will not attempt to capture or boost the Swift telescope because of ongoing attitude-control and pointing problems (Katalyst's Link spacecraft).
- NASA disclosed it paid Katalyst $30 million for the attempted rescue mission to raise Swift into a safer, longer-lasting orbit (NASA).
- The report said Swift was at about 216 miles altitude the week before August 19, 2026, is projected to reach about 186 miles in October 2026, and has been losing roughly 5 miles of altitude per month (Swift).
- Swift's science instruments were turned off earlier in 2026 to slow its descent; the observatory has been in orbit since its 2004 launch that was originally planned as a two-year mission (Swift's science instruments).
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, “This is not the outcome we were working toward, but it does not change why this mission was worth attempting” (Jared Isaacman).
- Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee said the Link mission was assembled in under a year on an aggressive timeline, calling it a “high-risk, high-reward” effort from which the company has already learned “a tremendous amount” (Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee).
- NASA indicated the Hubble Space Telescope had been next in line for a similar orbital-boost attempt if the Swift boost succeeded, and it is now unclear whether Hubble will still receive such a rescue (Hubble Space Telescope).
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Wednesday, August 19, 2026, NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies said Katalyst's Link spacecraft will not attempt to capture Swift or boost it to a higher orbit because of ongoing attitude-control and pointing problems.
- NASA disclosed it paid Katalyst $30 million for the attempted rescue mission to raise Swift into a safer, longer-lasting orbit.
- The article specifies Swift was at about 216 miles altitude as of the week before August 19 and is projected to reach 186 miles in October 2026, with the observatory currently losing roughly 5 miles of altitude per month.
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman issued a statement saying, "This is not the outcome we were working toward, but it does not change why this mission was worth attempting."
- Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee said the Link mission was assembled in under a year on an aggressive timeline and called it a "high-risk, high-reward" effort from which the company has already learned "a tremendous amount."
- NASA indicated the Hubble Space Telescope had been next in line for a similar orbital-boost attempt if the Swift-boost mission succeeded, and it is now unclear whether Hubble will still receive such a rescue.
- The report reiterates that Swift's science instruments were turned off earlier in 2026 to slow its descent and notes the telescope has been in orbit since its 2004 launch for what was originally a two-year mission.