NASA launches robotic mission to lift Swift space telescope

NASA is conducting a $30 million rescue operation to raise the orbit of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which has been descending due to intensified solar activity. The agency contracted the start‑up Katalyst Space Technologies to build the three‑armed robotic vehicle Link, which will be released from a Pegasus rocket dropped from a Northrop Grumman L‑1011 aircraft over the Kwajalein atoll. The vehicle will rendezvous with Swift, capture it with its robotic arms and, over several months, boost its altitude from roughly 360 km to about 600 km, extending the telescope’s operational life for years.

The mission, scheduled for launch on 30 June 2026, marks the first U.S. attempt to service a satellite in this manner. NASA officials acknowledge the technical risk, with a success probability described as "maybe 50‑50". If successful, it would demonstrate a new capability for satellite maintenance and could pave the way for future on‑orbit repairs. As Katalyst’s chief Ghonhee Lee noted, "this is the first American space robot to do this" and, "we have to be honest, nobody thought it would be possible".