A private spacecraft attempted to rescue NASA's Swift Observatory but had to turn away due to low fuel. The spacecraft, called Link, got close to the telescope and even took photos. It came within 9 miles of Swift, gathering data for NASA using its own sensors.

The rescue effort had been abandoned earlier, but the company behind the operation, Katalyst Space Technologies, wanted to practice for future satellite service calls. The Link spacecraft had its own troubles in orbit, including an uncontrollable spin.

Further details about the operation are available, including comments from Katalyst's CEO. The company's efforts to assist the doomed telescope ultimately ended in disappointment.