NASA's Swift Mission Prepares for Orbit Boost

The 21-year-old observatory will temporarily suspend science operations to extend its time in orbit.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has temporarily suspended most science operations in an effort to reduce atmospheric drag and slow the spacecraft's orbital decay. This will enable controllers to keep the spacecraft in an orientation that minimizes drag effects, extending its time in orbit in anticipation of a reboost mission contracted with Katalyst Space Technologies.

Why it matters

While many missions allow their spacecraft to re-enter Earth's atmosphere at the end of their lifetimes, NASA has chosen to extend Swift's scientific life by boosting it into a higher orbit. This will pioneer an important new capability for satellite servicing and allow Swift to continue rapidly observing changes in the universe.

The details

Swift's Burst Alert Telescope will continue to detect gamma-ray bursts, but the spacecraft will no longer slew to observe targets with its other telescopes. Solar activity heats Earth's atmosphere and causes it to puff outward, increasing drag on spacecraft in low Earth orbit and gradually reducing their altitude over time. By making changes to slow Swift's descent, the team is maximizing the opportunity for the reboost mission to successfully place the 21-year-old observatory into a higher orbit.

  • On February 11, 2026, NASA's Swift Observatory temporarily suspended most science operations.
  • As of early February 2026, Swift's average altitude had fallen below about 250 miles (400 kilometers).
  • NASA anticipates the reboost mission to launch in the summer of 2026.

The players

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory

A 21-year-old space observatory operated by NASA that rapidly observes changes in the universe.

S. Bradley Cenko

The principal investigator for the Swift mission at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Katalyst Space Technologies

A company in Flagstaff, Arizona that has been contracted by NASA to perform a mission to boost the Swift observatory into a higher orbit.

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What they’re saying

“Normally, Swift quickly turns to view its targets — especially the fleeting, almost daily explosions called gamma-ray bursts — with multiple telescopes.”

— S. Bradley Cenko, Principal Investigator, Swift Mission (nasa.gov)

“We anticipate the reboost mission to launch in the summer, so we're transitioning operations now to give it the best margin we possibly can.”

— S. Bradley Cenko, Principal Investigator, Swift Mission (nasa.gov)

What’s next

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The takeaway

This mission transition highlights NASA's commitment to extending the scientific life of the 21-year-old Swift Observatory through innovative satellite servicing, ensuring the spacecraft can continue its important work of rapidly observing changes in the universe.