Rescuing a Satellite

On July 3rd, 2026, NASA and Katalyst Space jointly launched Link, a refrigerator-sized spacecraft designed to undefined. Katalyst Space, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, is a startup whose main goal is to build a business in spacecraft servicing.

NASA contracted Katalyst to create something that would normally take years, and they finished and launched it in under a year. The Link rescuecraft, characterized by its three robotic arms, was designed to grab a spacecraft and propel it higher using hot-gas engines. According to Katalyst uses an approach called “assisted rendezvous and proximity operations”, or RPO for short. This method involves using another vehicle that will transfer a spacecraft or payload to a directed target, such as another orbit, after being launched. This will drastically simplify spacecraft docking and cut down on costs.

The Swift satellites were launched in 2004 to observe gamma-ray bursts, which are light blasts that occur during some of the universe’s heaviest explosions. Swift has been tracking these bursts for over 20 years, and NASA hopes to continue using the satellite to observe more bursts.

Link was undefined, rather than a traditional launchpad. A modified Lockheed L-1011 Tristar named Stargazer launched the PegasusXL rocket carrying the satellite from a height of around 40,000 feet. This allowed the satellite to be precisely launched to a location near the Swift satellite, where scientists will then determine the most secure way to capture it.

Link will grab Swift using its arms and slowly bring it from 360km to a height of 600km. This process will take several months, but NASA believes it is worth the time and risk. Successfully rescuing Swift would not only reduce space operations costs but also create a commercial industry for future spacecraft servicing.

The future of Swift is now in the capable hands of Link and the Katalyst team. The hard work and effort to save Swift are so that it can continue studying gamma-ray bursts and to lay the foundation for more satellite rescues, reducing future space costs.