A unique NASA satellite is falling out of orbit—this team is trying to rescue it
Summary
Ars Technica reports that NASA's Swift Observatory—launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts—is falling out of orbit and may be saved by a private rescue mission. Katalyst Space Technologies aims to rendezvous with Swift using a robotic Link servicing craft, reboost its orbit, and extend its life under a roughly $30 million contract that includes a Pegasus XL launch. The article frames this as a milestone in commercial satellite servicing and a test of rapid, risk-tolerant approaches to space infrastructure, with significant implications for future automation and outsourcing in aerospace.