NASA Sends Robotic Spacecraft to Rescue Aging Swift Observatory

NASA's Swift Boost mission launches June 2026 to rescue the 22-year-old Swift gamma-ray telescope, which is losing altitude due to atmospheric drag. A robotic spacecraft from Katalyst Space Technologies will autonomously boost Swift back to operational orbit, preserving its Burst Alert Telescope—a critical node in the global gamma-ray detector network. The mission tests robotic servicing on an unmodified science asset, validating a rare operational approach to extending aging missions.