NASA, Katalyst call off SWIFT rescue mission over issues with rescue craft in space

A spacecraft built by space startup Katalyst Space that will tow NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory into a higher orbit awaits encapsulation aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, U.S. June 8, 2026. REUTERS/NASA/Ron Beard 20 Aug 2026 02:33AM WASHINGTON, Aug 19 : A mission to rescue NASA's aging SWIFT observatory in space was canceled on Wednesday after the spacecraft that had been deployed to raise the telescope's orbit suffered irredeemable technical issues in orbit, the rescue craft's owner Katalyst Space said."Following continued monitoring and assessment of the LINK spacecraft, Katalyst Space and NASA together have concluded that due to ongoing attitude control issues, the mission will not include the capture and boost of NASA’s Neil Gehr