A NASA mission aims to save a $500 million space observatory called the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. It risks falling and burning in the atmosphere without help.
On Friday, NASA said the Link spacecraft, made by Katalyst Space Technologies, completed important tests at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. This testing finished on May 4. Link will now return to Katalyst’s site in Colorado for more tests before launch.
John Van Eepoel from NASA says this mission is fast and risky. If nothing is done, Swift will likely fall this year. Katalyst completed these tests in only eight months. Swift cannot move on its own and has been going down in orbit. It is currently at about 400 km above the Earth and will re-enter the atmosphere in late 2026 without help.
In 2025, NASA gave Katalyst a $30 million contract to build Link. This spacecraft will dock with Swift and help it rise higher in orbit. The launch is set for June.
