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Health & Science2h 26m ago

NASA has outlined plans for a robotic servicing attempt intended to raise the orbit of the agency’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, as the 21-year-old spacecraft’s low Earth orbit decays amid increased solar activity.

Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands

Who
NASA, Katalyst Space, Northrop Grumman, Swift Observatory
What
NASA has outlined plans for a robotic servicing attempt intended to raise the orbit of the agency’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, as the 21-year-old spacecraft’s low Earth orbit decays amid increased solar activity.
When
Thu, 11 Jun 2026 23:53:26 GMT · 2h 26m ago
Where
Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands ·
Why
Swift’s orbit has been “rapidly” decaying amid increased solar activity.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

A robotic servicing mission by Katalyst Space will attempt to boost the Swift Observatory's orbit, preserving its function of detecting cosmic events and advancing US spacecraft servicing technology.

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