Rescue spacecraft runs out of fuel before saving NASA's Swift telescope

Katalyst Space Technologies’ Link spacecraft approached NASA’s aging Swift Observatory to within about 15 kilometers and captured photos and operational data, but it could not rescue the telescope because its fuel was depleted. Link entered an uncontrolled spin shortly after launching in July, and stabilizing it consumed the fuel needed to raise Swift into a safer, longer-lasting orbit. Katalyst said the mission was assembled in just nine months, while NASA characterized the $30 million effort as a high-risk experiment intended to advance commercial satellite servicing. Swift’s orbit is continuing to decay, with NASA expecting it to reenter the atmosphere between October 2026 and the end of that year, though limited observations have resumed. Katalyst plans to use Link’s remaining fuel to test its robotic arms before the spacecraft reenters the atmosphere.