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What is happening with the Swift satellite?

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The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory satellite was a mission designed to observe gamma-ray bursts. In 2024, strong solar storms had increased drag on the satellite. The storms puffed up Earth’s atmosphere, and the added drag meant Swift was predicted to re-enter the atmosphere in 2026. NASA hired Katalyst Space in 2025 to try to raise Swift’s orbit with the LINK satellite, but that rescue mission was unsuccessful. NASA ended the mission on October 23, 2026, and Swift was predicted to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in November 2026.