Imagine you have an important tool in space that’s losing altitude fast. If nothing is done, it will crash back to Earth next year. This is precisely the situation facing NASA with the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Set to fall from orbit at the end of 2026, NASA has a plan: a midair rocket launch to boost the telescope back to safety.
The rescue is in the hands of Katalyst Space Technologies, an Arizona-based company tasked by NASA to pull off this ambitious mission. The launch is set for June 2026, which is incredibly fast given that similar missions usually take over two years to plan.
This operation will involve an L-1011 Stargazer aircraft dropping a Pegasus XL rocket at an altitude of 39,000 feet. Once released, the rocket will fire its thrusters and carry a robotic spacecraft designed to capture the Swift telescope. This robotic spacecraft will perform a delicate maneuver with its mechanical arms to safely grasp the Swift, then raise it back to its original orbit of 373 miles.
The urgency of this mission is clear. The Swift telescope, launched in November 2004, has a unique mission: it studies gamma-ray bursts, which are colossal events in the universe. However, it’s losing altitude due to atmospheric drag. Currently hovering around 249 miles up, its descent could soon become irreversible unless immediate action is taken. A report from Katalyst states, “Swift’s orbital decay demands an urgent mission.”
The budget for this mission comes in at a surprisingly reasonable $30 million, especially when you consider the telescope originally cost $500 million. This budget makes it a cost-effective solution for saving a valuable scientific instrument.
Interestingly, while NASA has managed similar rescue missions for the Hubble Space Telescope in the past—those being crewed missions—this one will be fully remote-controlled. Kieran Wilson, Katalyst’s VP of Technology, emphasizes their commitment to the 2026 launch date, stating, “We’ll continuously evaluate where Swift stands in its orbital decay.”
The stakes are high, but the mission showcases innovation in the space industry. With the introduction of private companies into the space sector, who knows what new possibilities await us? As of now, plans are set, and all eyes will be on June 2026 to see if this daring rescue can save the Swift telescope for years to come.
For those interested in space missions, this operation highlights how collaboration between government and private sectors can lead to exciting advances in technology and exploration.
