NASA's Swift Telescope Burns Up in Atmosphere After Failed Rescue Mission

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory took its last look at the sky on October 20, 2026, while orbiting about 171 miles above Earth. The telescope reentered the atmosphere on November 4, 2026, and largely burned up. A commercial robotic spacecraft, LINK, sent to raise Swift into a safer orbit, failed in its mission after losing two of its three reaction wheels and experiencing problems with its propulsion system. The spacecraft's fuel budget was insufficient to capture Swift and raise its orbit safely. The failed rescue mission highlights the challenges of rescuing satellites, which can become a new hazard for the industry that repairs, refuels, and moves spacecraft around in orbit. The incident also points to the need for more robust and reliable servicing spacecraft that can stay stable, recover from their own faults, and keep enough propellant reserved to finish the job.