NASA is undertaking a first-of-its-kind robotic satellite servicing mission to save the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from orbital decay, extending its scientific operations and advancing future in-space servicing technologies.

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• NASA has launched an unprecedented mission to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, whose orbit has been rapidly decaying due to increased atmospheric drag caused by heightened solar activity.
• The agency has awarded a $30 million contract to Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies to carry out the historic robotic satellite rescue operation.
• Katalyst’s LINK robotic servicing spacecraft will rendezvous with the observatory, capture it using robotic arms and boost it into a higher, safer orbit.
• Launched in 2004, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has significantly exceeded its planned mission life and continues to make important discoveries involving gamma-ray bursts and other cosmic phenomena.
• The observatory currently lacks onboard propulsion, making external robotic intervention the only viable option to prevent its eventual re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
• If successful, the mission could extend Swift’s operational lifespan by several years while demonstrating new capabilities for satellite servicing, repair and orbital maintenance.
• NASA considers the mission a major technological milestone that could pave the way for future servicing missions involving scientific satellites, commercial spacecraft and even the Hubble Space Telescope.
• The mission represents a significant step toward sustainable space operations by reducing satellite losses and promoting long-term use of valuable orbital scientific infrastructure.