"Stopping the slewing and leaving the spacecraft in an orientation to minimize atmospheric drag will reduce the rate at which Swift's orbit decays until a reboost mission is launched - currently anticipated for the summer. NASA awarded Katalyst Space Technologies a contract in 2025 to raise the orbit of the spacecraft. At the time, the expectation was an orbit boost in spring 2026."
"Swift is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere in 2026 unless reboosted. The spacecraft's science payload remains operational, but a reboost is required to keep the data flowing. Swift's prime mission duration was two years and it had an expected orbital life of seven years. It has far exceeded both milestones and remains operational. However, it is now significantly below its original altitude [PDF] of 373 miles (600 km)."
NASA has ended most science operations on the Swift observatory to prolong its orbital life. The 21-year-old spacecraft's altitude has dropped below 250 miles (400 km) and must remain above about 185 miles (300 km) to maximize reboost chances. The Burst Alert Telescope will continue detecting gamma-ray bursts, but the spacecraft will no longer slew its other telescopes and will be held in an orientation that minimizes atmospheric drag. A reboost contracted to Katalyst Space Technologies is planned, using an air-dropped Pegasus XL, with a target boost timeframe currently expected in summer 2026. The science payload remains functional, but Swift has shown aging hardware issues including reaction wheel and gyroscope problems and faces re-entry in 2026 unless reboosted.
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