NASA has contracted Arizona-based startup Katalyst Space Technologies for $30 million to execute a groundbreaking mission aimed at extending the operational life of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Launched in 2004, the $500 million space telescope faces orbital decay and possible uncontrolled re-entry by late 2026. Katalyst’s mission will employ its “Link” spacecraft to rendezvous with the unprepared satellite and perform a pioneering orbital boost, marking the first commercial attempt to service a satellite not designed for in-orbit maintenance.
