# Link spacecraft

Type: Product

Source: GetYourBrief — https://getyourbrief.com/entity/link-spacecraft
Canonical HTML page: https://getyourbrief.com/entity/link-spacecraft

## Timeline

- **2026-08-19**: Rescue mission called off — NASA and Katalyst announce Link will not attempt to capture Swift because of spacecraft control problems; reentry is expected no earlier than October 2026.
- **2026-07**: Link rescue spacecraft launched — Katalyst Space Technologies launches Link under a $30 million NASA contract to boost Swift from 345 km to 600 km altitude.
- **2026-06**: Mission assembly complete — Katalyst’s Link spacecraft is built and ready for launch, marking 10 months from contract award.
- **2026-06**: Mission assembly complete — Katalyst’s Link spacecraft is built and ready for launch, marking 10 months from contract award.
- **2026**: Science instruments shut off — NASA turns off Swift's instruments to slow orbital decay caused by intense solar activity.
- **2025-09**: Katalyst wins $30M contract — NASA awards Katalyst Space Technologies a $30 million contract to build and launch the Link servicing spacecraft.
- **2025-09**: Katalyst wins $30M contract — NASA awards Katalyst Space Technologies a $30 million contract to build and launch the Link servicing spacecraft.
- **2025-08**: NASA solicits rescue proposals — NASA asks three companies for concepts to save Swift, requiring a mission ready in under a year.
- **2025-08**: NASA solicits rescue proposals — NASA asks three companies for concepts to save Swift, requiring a mission ready in under a year.
- **2004-11**: Swift Observatory launched — NASA’s Swift gamma-ray burst mission launched into a 585 km orbit, designed without thrusters.
- **2004-11**: Swift Observatory launched — NASA’s Swift gamma-ray burst mission launched into a 585 km orbit, designed without thrusters.
- **2004**: Swift Observatory launched — NASA launches Swift to detect gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars; it would operate for more than 20 years.

## Recent coverage (4 stories, network-wide)

### NASA Swift Rescue Fails After $30M Mission; Reentry Looms
2026-08-20 14:57:11 · Sector: space · Sentiment: Neutral · Impact: 5/10 · Sources: 5

The failed $30 million backup mission for NASA's aging Swift Observatory raises new questions about commercial on-orbit servicing reliability. With Link unable to control itself in close proximity, Swift will reenter the atmosphere after 20 years of gamma-ray science.
Full story: https://getspacebrief.com/story/swift-rescue-called-off-2026

### NASA's $30M Rescue Bid Aims to Lift Swift Telescope by 149 Miles
2026-06-29 01:00:41 · Sector: space · Sentiment: Neutral · Impact: 7/10 · Sources: 6

NASA is launching a pioneering $30M robotic mission with startup Katalyst Space to save the 22-year-old Swift gamma-ray observatory from orbital decay. The first US satellite servicing attempt will raise Swift’s orbit from 224 to 373 miles, setting a precedent for extending Hubble and on-orbit maintenance.
Full story: https://getspacebrief.com/story/nasa-30m-swift-orbit-rescue

### Startup Katalyst Lands $30M NASA Deal, Builds Satellite Rescuer in 10 Months
2026-06-19 02:28:14 · Sector: startups · Sentiment: Neutral · Impact: 7/10 · Sources: 2

Space startup Katalyst Space Technologies, founded in 2020, beat established players to win a $30 million NASA contract. In under a year, it built the Link spacecraft to rescue the $500 million Swift Observatory—a bold demonstration of how agile startups can outpace traditional aerospace in complex government missions.
Full story: https://getstartupbrief.com/story/katalyst-nasa-contract-swift-rescue

### $30M Rescue Aims to Save NASA’s $500M Swift Telescope from Orbital Decay
2026-06-19 02:27:03 · Sector: space · Sentiment: Neutral · Impact: 7/10 · Sources: 2

NASA has contracted startup Katalyst Space Technologies to save the $500 million Swift Observatory from burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. The $30 million mission, developed in just 10 months, involves an autonomous spacecraft with robotic arms that will dock with Swift and boost its orbit—a first for a science satellite in low-Earth orbit.
Full story: https://getspacebrief.com/story/nasa-swift-rescue-katalyst-link

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