A post-mission account published October 1, 2026, details how Link’s control problems and rising propellant use ended NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies’ attempt to capture and raise the orbit of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Link did not capture Swift or reboost it. NASA and Katalyst say the flight still produced operational experience for future satellite servicing.
Link launched on July 3, 2026. Katalyst says the spacecraft operated in orbit for 85 days and reentered Earth’s atmosphere on September 25.
Control failures left Link without enough fuel
Kieran Wilson, Link’s principal investigator at Katalyst, attributed an early loss of attitude control to a fault in the spacecraft’s in-house electronics for its reaction wheels. He said a transistor in a regenerative-braking circuit shorted and overheated. Rocket Lab supplied the wheels; Katalyst developed the control electronics. Katalyst separately said an electrical fault made two of Link’s three reaction wheels unavailable.
Wilson also described a later sequence that began with an unresponsive valve in Link’s reaction control system (RCS), the thrusters used to adjust the spacecraft’s orientation. The valve problem caused Link to spin up, according to Wilson. Katalyst said reliance on the RCS for attitude control rapidly increased propellant use, leaving too little fuel for the planned capture and orbit-raising phase.
Link carried out orbital maneuvers and navigation tests despite its reduced control capability. But Swift was a difficult target for a rescue: it was not designed for servicing and lacked a standardized docking interface, Katalyst said. The observatory, launched in 2004, also had no onboard propulsion system to raise its orbit as atmospheric drag increased.
A nine-month development schedule
NASA awarded Katalyst a $30 million contract and gave the company nine months to build and launch Link. NASA commissioned 30-day studies from three teams in August 2025, then selected Katalyst in September. Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of NASA’s astrophysics division, said the urgent schedule limited NASA’s ability to consider proposals beyond teams already under contract.
The pace also put pressure on the engineering team. Wilson said Katalyst’s engineers were stretched across too many tasks and lacked enough time and people to test the complex power system as carefully as he thought necessary. The team did conduct extensive testing, he said, but did not see this failure mode before flight.
Swift mission director John Van Eepoel said NASA accelerated procurement payments so Katalyst could buy equipment quickly. He said access to the funds was essential to keeping the effort moving.
Swift’s operations team reduced drag
Swift’s operations team at Penn State reoriented the observatory to reduce atmospheric drag, extending its time in orbit by several months, according to former operations lead Jamie Kennea. Science observations were suspended during the maneuvering period. Swift observes gamma rays, X-rays and visible light, and can quickly turn toward astronomical targets.
NASA is assessing future servicing work
NASA officials have described the Link effort as useful experience for future commercial satellite servicing. John Van Eepoel said NASA intends to pursue other servicing missions for astrophysics platforms, while Shawn Domagal-Goldman said the agency is looking for ways to replace Swift’s scientific capabilities.
