A private space company has launched a pioneering mission to extend the life of one of NASA’s longest-serving space observatories, marking a major milestone in the growing field of in-orbit satellite servicing.
Arizona-based startup Katalyst successfully launched its robotic spacecraft, LINK, on Friday in a bid to rescue NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which has been gradually losing altitude and risks re-entering Earth’s atmosphere because of increased atmospheric drag caused by heightened solar activity.
The mission, carried out under a $30 million contract with NASA, is the first US attempt to rescue and reposition an operational satellite in orbit rather than replacing it with a new one. LINK was launched aboard a Pegasus rocket released from a modified aircraft over the Pacific Ocean before beginning its journey towards the observatory.
Over the coming weeks, the spacecraft is expected to rendezvous with the Swift Observatory using onboard sensors and robotic arms. Once attached, it will spend about two months raising the telescope’s orbit by roughly 240km (150 miles), allowing the observatory to continue its scientific mission for years to come.
Launched in 2004, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has played a crucial role in detecting gamma-ray bursts and studying some of the universe’s most energetic events. NASA temporarily suspended its scientific observations to conserve altitude until the rescue mission is completed.
If successful, the mission could pave the way for a new era of satellite servicing, where spacecraft are repaired, refuelled or moved to safer orbits instead of being abandoned. Experts say such technology could reduce space debris, lower mission costs and reshape the future of commercial and scientific space operations.
