Due to an ongoing commercial spacecraft attitude control issue, NASA and Katalyst Space announced Wednesday the LINK spacecraft will not capture or boost an agency satellite to a higher altitude to extend its science mission as planned. However, LINK still will attempt to conduct rendezvous and proximity operations with NASA\u2019s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to demonstrate key capabilities for the future of space exploration.<\/p>\n
\u201cNASA should be willing to move quickly and take smart risks when the potential return is worth it, and that is exactly what we did with this mission,\u201d said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. \u201cThis is not the outcome we were working toward, but it does not change why this mission was worth attempting. The team moved with extraordinary speed to give Swift a chance to carry out more science while advancing capabilities America will need for satellite servicing in the future. We are going to learn everything we can from LINK\u2019s rendezvous attempt and put those lessons to work on the missions that follow.\u201d<\/p>\n
NASA and Katalyst are working closely to assess next steps for rendezvous and gather as much data as possible to inform future satellite servicing operations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew this was a high-risk, high-reward mission \u2013 a first-of-its kind attempt, developed on an unprecedented timeline driven by the Sun\u2019s activity,\u201d said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director, Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters in Washington. \u201cWe were all hoping for more science from Swift. But we knew the takeaways from this mission would be worthwhile either way, and we have gained so much through the series of accomplishments up to this point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without intervention, NASA anticipates Swift is likely to re-enter Earth\u2019s atmosphere later this year. As part of the agency\u2019s previous planning for Swift\u2019s end of life, NASA will continue to prioritize finding new options to react rapidly to cosmic events, using current missions to help fill the gap in the meantime.<\/p>\n
\u201cBuilding, testing, and operating this mission has already strengthened America\u2019s space industry pipeline, advancing in-space servicing capabilities in completely new ways,\u201d Domagal-Goldman said. \u201cNASA is committed to supporting our commercial vendors as they take on difficult tasks with the agency, to push the boundaries of what\u2019s possible. We\u2019re so proud of this team for: getting to the launch pad in record time, in a record-setting year for NASA astrophysics launches; its innovative problem-solving up to this point; and the dedication to the exciting capabilities this mission will attempt to demonstrate next.\u201d<\/p>\n
Swift was launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe, and other cosmic objects and events. It was designed for a two-year prime mission. After 21 years of science operations, Swift\u2019s low Earth orbit began to rapidly decay because of increased solar activity. NASA used this opportunity to advance U.S. spacecraft servicing technology, awarding a contract to Katalyst in September 2025 to mount a robotic servicing mission for Swift in less than a year.<\/p>\n
The LINK spacecraft launched July 3 on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific Ocean. Teams established communications with LINK and conducted in-orbit checkouts over the following weeks, before the spacecraft experienced attitude control issues.<\/p>\n
Learn more from\u202fKatalyst, and monitor NASA\u2019s Swift blog for continued updates throughout rendezvous:\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alise FisherHeadquarters, Washington202-358-2546alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov<\/p>\n