NASA launches robotic mission to boost aging Swift telescope to higher orbit

NASA is preparing to launch a robotic spacecraft this week to raise the orbit of the Swift gamma-ray observatory, which has been descending faster due to recent solar activity. The $30 million rescue effort, carried out by startup Katalyst Space Technologies, will use a three-armed vehicle named Link that will be launched aboard a Pegasus rocket from the Marshall Islands.

Link is expected to reach Swift within about a month, capture the 1.6-ton telescope with its three arms, and then lift it from its current 224-mile orbit to a target altitude of roughly 373 miles. The operation must be completed before Swift falls below 185 miles, a threshold estimated to be reached in October.

Swift, launched in 2004, has been a key instrument for detecting gamma-ray bursts and other transient astronomical events. NASA halted its scientific instruments in February to slow the descent and is counting on the rescue to preserve the observatory’s capabilities, which cannot be readily replaced due to budget constraints.

Katalyst’s chief executive Ghonhee Lee said the mission demonstrates a new capability for American space robotics, noting that only China has previously performed a similar orbital-boost maneuver. NASA astrophysics director Shawn Domagal-Goldman acknowledged the technical challenge, while science mission chief Nicky Fox emphasized the importance of retaining Swift’s observational role.

The successful boost could pave the way for future robotic servicing missions, including potential upgrades to the Hubble Space Telescope and other high-value satellites.