BROOMFIELD, Colorado—NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a cornerstone of the agency's longstanding commitment to astronomy, has been inactive for over a month while researchers prepare for an innovative robotic rescue mission.
The 21-year-old spacecraft is showing signs of falling out of orbit, and NASA officials recognize its potential value—if the cost is justified. Unlike flagship missions such as Hubble or Webb, Swift does not warrant a heavily funded rescue mission involving astronauts, nor an investment running into the hundreds of millions. While Hubble underwent numerous upgrades facilitated by five space shuttle missions, proposals for a privately funded Hubble servicing mission, introduced by billionaire Jared Isaacman—currently NASA's administrator—in 2022, were ultimately declined by the agency.
In contrast, Swift may be an apt candidate for a pioneering commercial rescue mission. The overall expenditure for its construction, launch, and operation is approximately $500 million (adjusted for inflation), making it a fraction of Hubble's expense, thus limiting the repercussions of an unsuccessful recovery attempt. In September, NASA contracted Katalyst Space Technologies for $30 million to expedite the development and launch of a commercial satellite intended to stabilize Swift's orbit and prolong its operational lifespan.
Currently positioned in low-Earth orbit, the Swift observatory operates within an atmosphere where the residual outer layers can still exert aerodynamic forces on satellites. Launched in November 2004, Swift was designed to observe gamma-ray bursts, which are the most intense explosions recorded in the universe. Despite its age, the observatory continues to play a crucial role for astrophysicists, providing multi-wavelength data to facilitate the identification and location of gamma-ray bursts for further analysis by other observatories.
Gamma-ray bursts are unpredictable events that occur when massive stars collapse into black holes or when neutron stars collide with black holes. The afterglow from these events can last from mere seconds to several hours, necessitating satellites like Swift to detect and study them effectively. One of Swift's distinguishing attributes is its rapid ability to orient toward gamma-ray sources before they diminish, a capability that inspired the mission's name. Until recently, the observatory has been productive scientifically, and there is no other US satellite that entirely replicates its functionalities.
However, without intervention, the Swift spacecraft is on a trajectory to descend to Earth, likely happening before the year concludes, barring a necessary reboost. Katalyst's role is to deploy its robotic servicing spacecraft, designated Link, to rendezvous and dock with Swift, subsequently elevating its orbital altitude to restore its operational longevity.
This operation, however, is predicated on successful execution.
Deadline Looming
Several critical aspects must be considered regarding this daunting endeavor. First, Swift was not initially engineered for capture or reboost in space. Second, this mission marks Katalyst's inaugural attempt to dock with another satellite. Third, NASA has imposed an ambitious timeline of just nine months for Katalyst to design, test, and operationalize this rescue mission, ensuring it remains feasible before Swift descends to an unsafe altitude.
"This is an exceptionally ambitious technical challenge," remarked Ghonhee Lee, founder and CEO of Katalyst.
The launch is earmarked for June 1, leaving little room for error. By late summer or early fall, Swift's altitude is projected to drop below 200 miles (320 kilometers), a threshold where Katalyst would struggle to ensure effective spacecraft control. “There’s considerable drag when two large spacecraft dock,” Lee explained, admitting their initial assessment granted them more time than the reality has proven.
NASA's objectives for this mission are twofold: first, to showcase an essential capability aiding the future of space exploration, and second, to prevent the impending destruction of Swift while continuing its scientific contributions.
"We acknowledge that a guarantee of 100 percent success is unattainable," Lee stated.
During a visit to Katalyst in late February, technicians were immersed in various tasks—soldering components, assembling solar panels, and preparing for environmental tests. In a typical government space mission, projects at this stage would have undergone considerable development over several years before reaching launch readiness.
"This stage is not as developed as one might expect," one company representative commented. “Consider that we initiated this project only about five months ago, so by those standards, we are making remarkable progress.”
While skepticism is inherent in journalism, the conviction among Katalyst personnel was palpable. The team is working extended hours and weekends, embracing risk, adapting ideas, and striving for satisfactory outcomes. Approximately 40 employees are dedicated to the Swift rescue, collaborating closely on the factory floor.
As Katalyst began procuring parts for the mission, they encountered challenges as some subcontractors were unable to meet the tight schedule. The company had to swiftly change suppliers or, in some instances, manufacture components independently.
"We're essentially orchestrating a concurrent development process," Lee stated. “The design, testing, and verification are all advancing together.”
A New Way of Doing Business
NASA has long explored the possibilities of robotic satellite servicing. The agency previously invested $1.5 billion in a now-defunct project that successfully advanced various essential technologies for in-orbit reboost, repairs, and refueling—but ultimately never launched. Currently, NASA is procuring a service from Katalyst, a model reminiscent of the approach used in the Commercial Crew and Cargo programs.
In a press release accompanying the Katalyst contract announcement, Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of NASA’s astrophysics division, noted that the rescue mission employs a "forward-leaning, risk-tolerant approach" and "is both more economical than launching a new mission to replace Swift’s capabilities and advantageous for the nation by broadening the application of satellite servicing to diverse spacecraft classes."
Northrop Grumman, one of the largest aerospace and defense contractors, had previously completed a successful commercial servicing mission with a satellite not originally designed for servicing. Founded in 2020, Katalyst has launched two small satellites into orbit to date and is currently developing a versatile spacecraft platform known as Nexus, aimed at approaching, inspecting, or servicing objects in orbit. The primary market for Nexus is anticipated to be the US military.
The Link servicing platform chosen for the Swift rescue serves as a preliminary step toward the more advanced Nexus.
"None of the endeavors under this program entail the invention of novel technologies," Lee emphasized. “We are leveraging existing technology, whether developed here or in the broader industry, and integrating it in a manner that accelerates our progress. Plus, it's being executed for only $30 million."
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