Swift Boost Mission

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Mission Extension

Low Earth Orbit Kwajalein Atoll Air launch to orbit

Contracted by NASA under the Small Business Innovation Research Phase 3 contract, Katalyst Space Technologies' LINK servicing spacecraft will rendezvous and attach to NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to re-boost its orbit. This aims to demonstrate a key capability for the future of space exploration and extending the Swift mission’s science lifetime in gamma ray astronomy.

Updates

hitura-nobad • July 3, 2026, 10:50 a.m.

Launched and reached orbit.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 3, 2026, 2:09 a.m.

Rescheduled for July 3.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 2, 2026, 11:27 a.m.

Scrub due to launch vehicle issue.


Nosu • July 1, 2026, 11:52 a.m.

Delayed again due to weather



Pegasus XL

Family:
Configuration:

The Pegasus is an air-launched rocket developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (now part of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems). Capable of carrying small payloads of up to 443 kilograms (977 lb) into low Earth orbit, the vehicle consists of three solid propellant stages and an optional monopropellant fourth stage. Pegasus is released from its carrier aircraft at approximately 40,000 ft (12,000 m), and its first stage has a wing and a tail to provide lift and attitude control while in the atmosphere.

Specifications
  • Max Stage
    3
  • Length
    17.6 m
  • Diameter
    1.27 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    23.0 T
  • Thrust
    580.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Pegasus XL
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Pegasus XL
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $40000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    443.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Orbital Sciences Corporation

Orbital Sciences Corporation

(OSC)

Successes: 65 Failures: 7 Pending: 0

Agency Type:

INFO WIKI

Related News

Arstechnica

Rocket Report: "Panic" over Transporter availability; Isar to launch from Canada

"We are delighted to actively help shape the ramp-up of the Ariane 6."

SpaceNews

Pegasus launches Swift reboost mission

A Pegasus XL launched a mission to reboost a NASA astrophysics spacecraft on what may be the final flight of that rocket. The post Pegasus launches Swift reboost mission appeared first on SpaceNews.

SpacePolicyOnline.com

Katalyst’s LINK On Its Way to Reboost Swift

Katalyst Space’s LINK on-orbit servicing spacecraft is on its way to reboost NASA’s Swift observatory. Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus-XL rocket launched LINK this morning and contact has been successfully established, the […]

Space Scout

Need a Lift? NASA Launches Swift Rescue Mission

The LINK spacecraft aims to rendezvous, capture, and reboost NASA’s 21 year old Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.

NASA

LINK Spacecraft Set for Mission to Boost NASA’s Swift Observatory

A first-of-its-kind mission to raise the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is poised for launch no earlier than Thursday, July 2, 5:09 a.m. EDT (9:09 p.m. UTC+12), from Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Republic of the Marshall Isl…

Air launch to orbit

Kwajalein Atoll


Soyuz 2.1a
Success
2 days, 6 hours ago
Soyuz MS-29
31/6 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Soyuz MS-29 will carry three cosmonauts and one astronaut to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome…


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 12 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-45
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 20 hours ago
Starlink Group 15-14
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
5 days, 18 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-48
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 10B
Success
6 days, 17 hours ago
Demo Flight
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

First launch of the Long March 10B rocket and first ever successful rocket booster recovery of a Chinese launch vehicle. Payloads on board is TBD.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week ago
Starlink Group 10-42
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Transporter 17 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare)
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.


Long March 8A
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
SpaceSail Polar Group #14
Commercial LC-1 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

20 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites with Ku, Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies with…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
Starlink Group 10-50
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system. The Falcon 9 1st st…


Long March 6A
Success
1 week, 5 days ago
SpaceSail Polar Group #13
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

18 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites with Ku, Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies with…