This specification describes axial relays. One of the axial relays includes first and second adapters positioned along an axis defining an axial direction, a contact extending along the axial direction between the first adapter and the second adapter, and a driver configured to move the contact relative to at least one of the first and second adapters between a first position and a second position by moving the contact along the axial direction or rotating the contact around the axial direction, such that a first end of the contact is conductively coupled to the first adapter and a second end of the contact is conductively coupled to the second adapter when the contact is at the first position, and the first adapter is conductively decoupled from the first end of the first adapter when the contact is at the second position.