Robotic relay to rescue Swift space telescope via Pegasus XL boost

NASA is pursuing a bold robotic mission to rescue the Swift Observatory by using Katalyst Space's LINK servicing satellite to rendezvous with Swift in orbit and boost it back to a healthy altitude, encapsulated inside Northrop Grumman's Pegasus XL air-launched rocket from Wallops Flight Facility; the mission involves four vehicles—the Stargazer mothership, Pegasus XL, LINK, and Swift—and aims to counter Swift's orbital decay to extend the telescope's gamma-ray burst observations, with encapsulation prepped around June 8, 2026.