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Health & Science2h 11m ago
Katalyst Space Technologies’ LINK spacecraft is set to launch later this month to rendezvous with NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and raise its altitude.
Low Earth Orbit
Who
Katalyst Space Technologies, NASA, Northrop Grumman, Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift telescope)
What
Katalyst Space Technologies’ LINK spacecraft is set to launch later this month to rendezvous with NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and raise its altitude.
When
Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT · 2h 11m ago
Where
Low Earth Orbit ·
Why
The Swift telescope's orbit is decaying faster than expected after 21 years due to heightened solar activity, and it carries no thrusters of its own.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This mission represents NASA's first attempt to use a commercial robotic spacecraft to service an uncrewed government satellite not originally designed for in-space servicing, potentially extending the Swift telescope's operational life and demonstrating new satellite servicing capabilities.
Story chain
3 events in this thread- Currently Reading2h 11m agoKatalyst Space Technologies’ LINK spacecraft is set to launch later this month to rendezvous with NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and raise its altitude.
- Health & Science2h 11m agoKatalyst Space Technologies' LINK spacecraft will launch to rendezvous with NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and raise its altitude.Open article
- Health & Science2h 11m agoKatalyst Space Technologies' LINK spacecraft will launch to rendezvous with NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and boost it into a higher orbit.Open article
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