NASA Initiates Mission to Salvage Swift Observatory in Orbit

WHO:

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - Katalyst Space designed, built, and tested the LINK satellite in just eight months under a $30 million contract with NASA.

[Sky and Telescope] - NASA is the organization involved in the mission to save the Swift Observatory.

[ABC News] - A three-armed spacecraft is being utilized for the rescue mission.

WHAT:

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The LINK spacecraft is expected to reach and capture NASA’s Swift Observatory in about a month.

[AP] - If all goes well, Swift could be back scanning the cosmos by September.

[AP] - The 1.6-ton (1.4-metric ton) Swift currently is circling 224 miles (360 kilometers) above Earth.

[AP] - Katalyst aims to raise the telescope’s altitude by 150 miles (240 kilometers).

[AP] - Observations from Swift are currently on hold to preserve the telescope’s orbit as long as possible.

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The LINK spacecraft is expected to reach and capture NASA’s Swift Observatory in about a month.

[AP] - If all goes well, Swift could be back scanning the cosmos by September.

[AP] - The 1.6-ton (1.4-metric ton) Swift currently is circling 224 miles (360 kilometers) above Earth.

[AP] - Katalyst aims to raise the telescope’s altitude by 150 miles (240 kilometers).

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The LINK spacecraft was launched to rescue the Swift Observatory, which is in danger of crashing back to Earth by the end of the calendar year.

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The LINK spacecraft was released from Northrop Grumman's L-1011 jet at 4:36 a.m. ET after a three-day delay due to bad weather and a software issue.

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The LINK spacecraft is designed to boost the Swift Observatory back up to an altitude of around 370 miles, extending its mission by approximately 10 years.

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The entire reboost mission is expected to take 10 to 12 weeks to complete.

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The LINK spacecraft was launched to hunt down and grab the $250 million Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The LINK spacecraft was released from Northrop Grumman's L-1011 jet at 4:36 a.m. ET.

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The LINK spacecraft weighs 940 pounds and is equipped with three xenon-fueled ion engines, solar panels generating 4 kilowatts of power, and 16 orientation control thrusters.

CBS News - The LINK spacecraft is designed to boost the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory back up to an altitude of around 370 miles, extending its mission by approximately 10 years.

CBS News - The entire reboost mission is expected to take 10 to 12 weeks to complete.

CBS News - The Swift Observatory is currently falling at a rate of about five miles per month and is predicted to reach an altitude of 186 miles in October.

CBS News - The LINK spacecraft weighs 940 pounds and is equipped with three xenon-fueled ion engines and solar panels that generate 4 kilowatts of power.

[Sky and Telescope] - A mission has been initiated to attempt to reach and save the Swift Observatory.

[ABC News] - The Swift Observatory is in danger of crashing back to Earth.

WHERE:

[Sky and Telescope] - The Swift Observatory is located in low Earth orbit.

WHY:

[AP] - NASA insisted on a rush job because the telescope will be too low to recover by the fall.

[AP] - Without a boost, Swift is predicted to plunge to its demise in October.

[AP] - NASA insisted on a rush job because the telescope will be too low to recover by the fall.

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - Shawn Domagal-Goldman stated, "If we don't do something, [Swift] will come out of orbit by the end of this calendar year."

CBS News - The mission is critical because if no action is taken, the Swift Observatory is expected to come out of orbit by the end of the calendar year.

[ABC News] - The mission is necessary because the Swift Observatory is at risk of falling back to Earth.

HOW:

[AP] - Katalyst threw the mission together in just nine months.

[8:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The LINK spacecraft will use three robotic arms to lock onto a flange that was used before launch to secure LINK for ground transport.

CBS News - The LINK spacecraft will use three robotic arms to lock onto a flange used for ground transport before initiating the boost.

[ABC News] - The rescue will be conducted using a three-armed spacecraft designed for the operation.

(UPDATED July 4, 2026 06:08 UTC)

The LINK spacecraft is set to reach and capture NASA’s Swift Observatory in about a month, with hopes that Swift could resume its cosmic scans by September if everything goes according to plan. Currently, the 1.6-ton Swift is orbiting 224 miles above Earth, but Katalyst is working to raise its altitude by 150 miles to prevent it from plunging to its demise in October. This ambitious mission was put together in just nine months, as NASA insisted on a rapid response to ensure the telescope's recovery before it becomes too low to salvage.

(UPDATED July 3, 2026 23:19 UTC)

The LINK spacecraft is on track to reach and capture NASA’s Swift Observatory in about a month, with hopes that Swift could resume its cosmic scans by September if everything goes smoothly. Currently, the 1.6-ton Swift is orbiting 224 miles above Earth, but Katalyst plans to raise its altitude by 150 miles to ensure its recovery. This ambitious mission was put together in just nine months, as NASA emphasized the urgency due to the telescope's low orbit.

(UPDATED July 3, 2026 19:21 UTC)

The LINK spacecraft has been launched to rescue the Swift Observatory, which is at risk of crashing back to Earth by the end of the calendar year. Released from Northrop Grumman's L-1011 jet after a three-day delay, LINK is designed to boost the Swift Observatory back up to an altitude of approximately 370 miles, extending its mission by about ten years. The entire reboost mission is expected to take between ten to twelve weeks to complete, utilizing three robotic arms to secure the spacecraft during the operation.

(UPDATED July 3, 2026 17:29 UTC)

Katalyst Space has successfully designed, built, and tested the LINK satellite in just eight months under a $30 million contract with NASA, and it was launched to capture the $250 million Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. The LINK spacecraft, weighing 940 pounds and equipped with three xenon-fueled ion engines, was released from Northrop Grumman's L-1011 jet at 4:36 a.m. ET and will utilize three robotic arms to secure its target. According to Shawn Domagal-Goldman, action is necessary soon, as the Swift Observatory is expected to come out of orbit by the end of this calendar year.

(UPDATED July 3, 2026 13:33 UTC)

The LINK spacecraft is set to boost the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory back up to an altitude of around 370 miles, extending its mission by approximately 10 years. This reboost mission, which is critical to prevent the observatory from coming out of orbit by the end of the calendar year, is expected to take 10 to 12 weeks to complete. The LINK, weighing 940 pounds and equipped with three xenon-fueled ion engines, will use robotic arms to secure itself before initiating the boost.

(UPDATED July 3, 2026 11:47 UTC)

NASA has launched a mission to save the Swift Observatory, which is currently in low Earth orbit and at risk of crashing back to Earth. The rescue operation will utilize a specially designed three-armed spacecraft to reach and secure the observatory. This critical mission underscores the importance of preserving valuable scientific assets in space.