NASA Swift Mission: Commercial Space Servicing Takes Off

NASA and private partner Katalyst Space are preparing for the June 30 launch of the Swift Boost Mission from Kwajalein Atoll. The mission aims to raise the orbit of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory using a robotic servicing satellite, marking a pivotal step for the commercial satellite servicing industry and sustainable space operations.

Why does the Swift Observatory need an orbit boost?

The Swift Observatory, which launched in November 2004, has spent two decades observing the cosmos using a wide range of light and rapidly pointing at short-lived outbursts. However, operating in low Earth orbit comes with a natural physical challenge. Our planet's atmosphere creates drag on all spacecraft, gradually reducing their altitudes if they lack propulsion systems to counteract the effect.

A recent bout of increased solar activity magnified this atmospheric drag on Swift. By the end of 2025, orbital predictions generated by NASA showed the observatory reaching a critical altitude threshold of 185 miles as early as July 2026. Without intervention, Swift would re-enter Earth's atmosphere later this year.

How is the commercial satellite servicing industry evolving?

Rather than allowing Swift to burn up in the atmosphere as many aging missions do, NASA is using this challenge to advance the U.S. commercial satellite servicing industry. In September 2025, the agency contracted Katalyst to attempt the boost. The company had less than one year to design, build, test, and launch a satellite to meet, grab, and lift Swift to nearly its original orbit.

Swift wasn't designed to be serviced. By demonstrating we can quickly and cost-effectively extend its lifetime, we're creating a blueprint for servicing spacecraft that were never designed for on-orbit maintenance. If we're going to build an enduring presence beyond Earth, we need the capability to manipulate our environment in space. That means deploying robotic spacecraft that can reposition, repair, refuel, and refit satellites after launch.

This approach by Ghonhee Lee, CEO of Katalyst, highlights a shift toward a circular space economy. Extending the lifespan of existing satellites reduces orbital debris and prevents the waste of specialized scientific hardware, aligning with broader global sustainability goals.

What are the technical specifications of the LINK spacecraft?

The robotic servicing satellite, named LINK, weighs about 880 pounds and stands about 5 feet tall, making it roughly a third of Swift's overall size. Nearly 20 feet of solar panels will power three ion thrusters and a trio of robotic arms.

• Builder: Katalyst Space
• Weight: 880 pounds
• Height: 5 feet
• Power: 20 feet of solar panels
• Propulsion: 3 ion thrusters
• Grapple Mechanism: 3 robotic arms

LINK completed environmental testing that mimicked launch and space-like conditions at NASA Goddard this spring. It also underwent additional preflight assessments at Katalyst's facility in Broomfield, Colorado. Earlier in June, engineers loaded LINK into a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket and attached the rocket to the Stargazer, a modified L-1011 aircraft, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The aircraft departed for Kwajalein Atoll on June 18.

We can deploy Pegasus from almost anywhere in the world using our Stargazer, a modified L-1011 aircraft. That combination of flexibility and responsive access to space will help LINK quickly reach Swift, giving the teams time to complete the boost.

How did NASA delay Swift's re-entry before the launch?

To slow Swift's descent and ensure the observatory stays above the 185-mile threshold until LINK arrives, the operations team at Penn State's Eberly College of Science altered how they managed and oriented the spacecraft.

Unlike normal operating procedures where Swift looks at scientifically interesting spots, the team now selects targets that steer Swift into the most streamlined position. They also reduced power consumption as much as possible to place the satellite's large solar panels in a more aerodynamic orientation. Recent orbital predictions show these changes will keep Swift above the critical altitude until this fall.

What does this mission mean for the future of space sustainability?

Once in orbit, LINK will undergo several weeks of commissioning as Katalyst evaluates the spacecraft's propulsion, navigation, and sensor systems. It will then slowly approach and survey Swift before grabbing the observatory with its robotic arms and slowly raising the orbit to nearly 370 miles.

This is a high-risk, high-reward mission. Swift plays a notable role in our fleet. We have much to gain by attempting this boost, which is more affordable than trying to replace Swift's capabilities and allows NASA to advance the nation's satellite servicing industry, for the benefit of all.

As Shawn Domagal-Goldman, division director of Astrophysics at NASA Headquarters in Washington, noted, the economic and scientific returns are substantial. Refitting and repairing existing infrastructure in orbit is inherently more sustainable and cost-effective than replacing it, a principle that applies as much to space as it does to green economic reforms on Earth.

When is the NASA Swift Boost Mission launching?

The mission is poised for launch no earlier than Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 6:23 a.m. EDT (10:23 p.m. UTC+12), from Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Who built the LINK satellite for the Swift mission?

Katalyst Space built the LINK satellite under a NASA contract awarded in September 2025. The company designed, built, and tested the spacecraft in under a year.

How will the LINK spacecraft raise Swift's orbit?

LINK will use a trio of robotic arms to grapple the Swift Observatory. Once attached, LINK will fire its three ion thrusters over several months to slowly raise Swift's altitude to nearly 370 miles.