NASA is preparing a robotic intervention to capture the Swift satellite, which risks losing its orbit due to solar activity. The mission is carried out by Katalyst Space Technologies.

NASA is preparing for a historic robotic intervention aimed at saving the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which is at risk of falling out of orbit due to atmospheric drag and recent solar activity. The satellite, launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts, has been operational for nearly 22 years, but a heightened risk of degradation has recently been identified.

In September, NASA selected Katalyst Space Technologies to develop a spacecraft called LINK, capable of capturing Swift and raising its orbit. LINK was launched from a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, but the initial launch was delayed due to technical issues. The mission, if successful, will mark the first intervention of its kind in the history of space exploration. Swift has detected over 2,000 sources of gamma-ray bursts and has expanded research to include a variety of cosmic objects.