After failure of private rescue mission, NASA's Swift space telescope will crash back to Earth. But when and where?

A private spacecraft failed to rescue NASA's Swift space telescope, meaning the big observatory will come crashing back to Earth in the near future.

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory launched to Earth orbit in November 2004.

Over the past two decades, it studied gamma-ray bursts — the most powerful explosions in the universe — and other cosmic objects and events using a trio of telescopes.

But Swift's science work is now done, and its days in orbit are numbered.

Call to action In September 2025, NASA put out a call to action to save Swift, whose orbit was decaying quickly due to high solar activity.

The bottom line: The observatory needed a boost to a higher orbit soon, or it would be dragged down to its death in Earth's atmosphere .

The Arizona-based company Katalyst Space Technologies answered that call, and won a $30 million NASA contract to perform the re-boost.

In hurry-and-scurry mode, Katalyst built a robotic spacecraft called LINK, which launched on July 3 to meet up with Swift and haul it to a higher orbit.

But LINK suffered attitude-control issues after launch, causing NASA and Katalyst to wave off the rescue attempt .

Artist's illustration of Katalyst Space Technologies' LINK spacecraft meeting up with NASA's Swift space telescope in orbit.

This did not happen, however; LINK suffered issues after launch and was unable to pull of the rendezvous. (Image credit: NASA) Timeline troubles Ghonhee Lee is the CEO of Katalyst Space Technologies.

Speaking to CNN News Central on Aug.

24, Lee said: "You know, this is not the outcome that we wanted, but I think it's very important to recognize the unprecedented scale.

This was an ambitious, high-risk, high-reward mission where we designed, built and launched a space robot within nine months." Lee said that the timeline worked against the group.