Overview
- NASA confirmed the rescue attempt was halted when the Pegasus rocket failed to release from Northrop Grumman’s Stargazer aircraft during the planned air‑launch.
- The Pegasus carried a Katalyst Space Technologies robotic servicer equipped with three arms and sensors that was built to autonomously approach, grip and slowly raise the unprepared Swift Observatory.
- Swift’s operators paused science operations and adjusted the satellite’s orientation earlier this year to reduce drag but its orbit continues to decay and agencies say loss of the telescope is possible by October without intervention.
- The mission used an accelerated $30 million commercial contract, relied on a weather‑sensitive air‑drop method, and required weeks of on‑orbit commissioning plus weeks to months of gradual orbit‑raising if launched successfully.
- No new launch date has been announced and planners must now weigh technical fixes, weather windows and the narrow time left to save Swift, while success would extend its science life and validate commercial servicing.