All articles tagged with #swift observatory
NASA’s Swift gamma-ray burst observatory is being rescued by Katalyst Space Technologies with its Link satellite, launched on a Pegasus XL. Over the coming weeks, Link will conduct checks and then autonomously approach Swift to attempt a robotic capture and lift the observatory to a higher, safer orbit, marking a pioneering robotic servicing mission.
NASA and private contractor Katalyst Space Technologies launched an emergency mission to save the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from burning up in Earth’s atmosphere, sending the Link servicing spacecraft to intercept Swift and raise its orbit by about 150 miles (from roughly 224 miles) in a nine‑month, $30 million effort to preserve the $500 million gamma‑ray‑burst observatory.
NASA launched the LINK servicing satellite aboard a Pegasus XL rocket to rendezvous with the aging Swift Observatory and tow it into a higher, stable orbit to prevent its reentry into Earth's atmosphere. LINK, built by Katalyst Space Technologies, will use robotic arms to capture Swift and then fire ion thrusters to gradually raise the duo’s orbit over months, extending Swift’s scientific life for years at a cost of about $30 million — a private mission that could mark the first private capture of a U.S. government satellite.
A last-minute launch problem prevented detaching the Pegasus rocket from the carrier plane, delaying the planned rescue of NASA's Swift Observatory. The $30 million salvage mission by Katalyst Space Technologies is on hold with no new launch date yet; Swift, launched in 2004, could reenter by October if not recovered, and NASA has paused its science operations to preserve the telescope's orbit.
NASA plans a mission to send a robotic LINK spacecraft to capture and boost the Swift Observatory into a higher orbit to prevent re-entry, extending its gamma-ray burst research. The plan involves Northrop Grumman’s Stargazer plane deploying a Pegasus XL rocket carrying LINK after takeoff from the Marshall Islands; Katalyst Space Technologies built LINK under a $30 million contract. If successful, the mission would demonstrate in‑orbit servicing at a fraction of the cost of a new mission and could extend Swift’s science return beyond its 2004 launch.
NASA is coordinating a private rescue mission to save the aging Swift Observatory from orbital decay by launching the LINK spacecraft on a Pegasus XL rocket to grapple Swift and raise its orbit back toward its original ~600 km altitude, extending its science life by years. The mission, which costs about $30 million, marks a pioneering private satellite‑servicing effort for a U.S. government asset.
NASA is racing to save the aging Swift gamma-ray observatory from fiery reentry with a $30 million robotic rescue. Katalyst Space Technologies’ three-armed Link will launch aboard a Pegasus rocket from the Marshall Islands, rendezvous with Swift within about a month, and gradually raise its orbit from roughly 224 miles to 373 miles to avert the October “point of no return.” The mission—with Swift’s instruments powered down to slow descent—could preserve valuable data, demonstrate a new US space-repair capability, and pave the way for future rescues of other observatories such as Hubble.
NASA is launching a $30 million rescue mission using Katalyst Space Technologies’ autonomous three-armed Link to rendezvous with the Swift Observatory and move it from about 360 km to 600 km, delaying its reentry after solar activity accelerated orbital decay; the operation could start this week from the Marshall Islands, with Swift potentially back online by September if successful, and the effort could pave the way for future in-space satellite servicing.
NASA is pursuing a $30 million robotic mission to save the aging Swift gamma-ray burst observatory from orbital decay and prevent it from re-entering Earth. The plan envisions a small spacecraft rendezvousing with Swift to boost its orbit or attach a propulsion module, extending the telescope’s science life as it continues to detect and study gamma-ray bursts. Swift has been a mainstay of GRB science since 2004, and the rescue would aim to keep its rapid follow-up capabilities operational rather than risk losing the mission to re-entry.
NASA, with Katalyst Space and Northrop Grumman, plans a June 30 launch from Kwajalein Atoll to deploy the robotic LINK servicer on a Pegasus XL rocket to grapple and gradually raise the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory's orbit, extending its life and proving on-orbit servicing capabilities for future missions.
NASA is funding a $30 million, first-of-its-kind rescue mission (Swift Boost) to capture and reboost the aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory using Katalyst Space’s Link, aiming to extend the telescope’s life by years; the risky rendezvous would launch June 27, 2026 on a Pegasus XL rocket, or Swift could burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.
NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory—launched in 2004 and now tumbling in low Earth orbit due to solar-driven drag—could be saved by LINK, a seven‑month-built robotic spacecraft from Katalyst Space Technologies that would capture Swift and raise its orbit using a Pegasus XL launch; if successful, it would mark the first commercial in‑space servicing of a government satellite, otherwise the observatory could reenter uncontrolled.
NASA aims to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory by docking a privately built Link servicing spacecraft from Katalyst Space Technologies to boost Swift into a higher orbit, potentially adding years of science; Link launches aboard a Pegasus XL on June 27 for a multi-month docking and lift, after which Swift could resume full science by fall and Link will be intentionally deorbited.
NASA is planning an unprecedented rescue to save the Swift gamma-ray burst observatory from a rapidly decaying low-Earth orbit by launching the LINK robotic servicing spacecraft on a Pegasus XL to capture and boost Swift to a higher orbit, extending its mission life and marking the first time a commercial vehicle would service a government satellite not designed for in-space servicing.
NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies are racing to save the Swift gamma-ray observatory by building the Link servicing spacecraft to capture Swift and boost it back to a safe orbit, launching aboard Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL on a record-fast timeline. The mission relies on streamlined contracting and aggressive testing under time pressure, potentially setting a blueprint for rapid, private-public space missions, though Swift continues to decay in low Earth orbit.