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4h ago

NASA Readies Commercial Robot to Reboost Falling Swift Telescope

The late‑June mission will test autonomous capture of an unprepared government satellite to extend Swift’s scientific life.

Northrop Grumman's Stargazer L-1011 aircraft is pictured in 2019 ahead of a mission using a Pegasus XL rocket to deploy a NASA satellite.
Artist's rendering of NASA's gold-foiled Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory with its blue solar panels.
NASA
Image

Overview

  • Katalyst’s LINK spacecraft is integrated on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL and is targeted to launch June 27 from the Stargazer aircraft for an air‑launch over Kwajalein Atoll.
  • LINK was built under a $30 million, accelerated NASA award and went from concept to rocket integration in roughly nine months.
  • The servicer uses onboard cameras, LiDAR, guidance software and three robotic arms to autonomously approach, inspect and grapple the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which has no docking fixtures.
  • Mission teams paused Swift’s science operations and reoriented the telescope to reduce atmospheric drag and buy time while LINK attempts a multi‑month rendezvous and gradual orbit raise.
  • The mission carries high technical risk from uncertain surface debris, space‑weather effects that can speed orbital decay, and the tight time window, but success would demonstrate a new commercial option for extending the life of unprepared government satellites.