NASA deploys Katalyst Space robot to rescue Swift telescope

Katalyst Space is using NASA Goddard’s Space Environment Simulator (SES) to conduct thermal‑vacuum testing of its spacecraft components, replicating vacuum, temperature extremes and mechanical stresses to spot potential failures before launch.

NASA has contracted the startup for a $30 million rescue mission that will launch the three‑armed autonomous vehicle Lift on a Pegasus rocket from the Marshall Islands. Lift will rendezvous with the aging Swift gamma‑ray observatory, capture it with robotic arms and raise its orbit from about 360 km to 600 km, extending the telescope’s operational life. CEO Ghonhee Lee said, “This is the first American space robot to go up and do anything like this.” NASA officials stressed the urgency, noting Swift must reach a higher orbit before October or re‑enter the atmosphere.