Overview
- Katalyst’s LINK spacecraft is integrated on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL and is targeted to launch June 27 from the Stargazer aircraft for an air‑launch over Kwajalein Atoll.
- LINK was built under a $30 million, accelerated NASA award and went from concept to rocket integration in roughly nine months.
- The servicer uses onboard cameras, LiDAR, guidance software and three robotic arms to autonomously approach, inspect and grapple the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which has no docking fixtures.
- Mission teams paused Swift’s science operations and reoriented the telescope to reduce atmospheric drag and buy time while LINK attempts a multi‑month rendezvous and gradual orbit raise.
- The mission carries high technical risk from uncertain surface debris, space‑weather effects that can speed orbital decay, and the tight time window, but success would demonstrate a new commercial option for extending the life of unprepared government satellites.