NASA Launches $30 Million Link Mission to Raise Swift 300km as Solar Storms Drag Telescope Down
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 3
NASA Launches $30 Million Link Mission to Raise Swift 300km as Solar Storms Drag Telescope Down
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 3
Summary
$30 million mission Link lifted off at 0836 GMT from the Marshall Islands aboard a Pegasus rocket, starting a months-long attempt to save NASA’s Swift Observatory from re-entry.
Recent solar storms have increased atmospheric drag on Swift, launched in 2004, causing the $250 million gamma-ray telescope to sink faster toward Earth.
About a month from now, the Katalyst-built robot is due to reach Swift, deploy solar panels, run checks, then spend weeks locating, circling and docking with the telescope using three robotic arms.
If docking succeeds, Link will try to push Swift roughly 300km higher—close to its original orbit—in an operation expected to take at least another month.
NASA calls the effort unprecedented, and a successful rescue could open a path to extending the lives of other aging satellites.
Could this high-stakes rescue attempt accidentally create even more dangerous space debris?
Is saving old satellites a cost-effective strategy or just delaying the creation of more space junk?
With private firms now capturing satellites, what prevents a 'wild west' of unauthorized space salvage?
Saving Swift: LINK’s Urgent $30 Million Mission to Prevent Observatory’s Uncontrolled Re-Entry
Overview
On July 3, 2026, the LINK spacecraft successfully launched and is now fully operational, heading toward the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Swift has been losing altitude due to increased atmospheric drag caused by recent solar activity, putting it at risk of uncontrolled re-entry and destruction. The LINK mission aims to intervene by restoring Swift to its original orbit, which is expected to extend the observatory’s life by several years. This urgent rescue not only preserves a valuable scientific asset but also demonstrates new technology for servicing satellites in space.