NASA's bid to save Swift from fiery death passes another hurdle
Katalyst's LINK spacecraft clears Goddard tests before Pegasus rocket integration
A rescue mission for NASA's Neil Gehrels SwiftObservatory has taken another step forward following the completion ofenvironmental tests at the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center.
The purpose of the tests was to assess howthe LINK robotic servicing spacecraft, supplied by Katalyst Space Technologies,would withstand the forces of launch and the extremes of the orbital environment.
The mission is ambitious and fast-paced. Itwas only in August 2025 that NASA asked US industry for ideas on rescuing the observatory, whose orbit is decaying faster than expected.Katalyst was awarded the contract and has been working against the clock to launch its servicing spacecraft beforeSwift reaches the point of no return.
In February 2026, NASA ended most science operationsaboard Swift to keep the spacecraft in orbit long enough for the rescuemission. At the time, June 2026 was Katalyst's expected launch date and, thanksto...
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