The Neil Gehrels Swift Space Observatory is gradually losing altitude and risks burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. However, NASA has an ambitious rescue plan. On June 27, the agency will launch a unique mission, enlisting the world’s last remaining aircraft of this class—the Lockheed L-1011 Stargazer.
The mission’s goal is to launch a special LINK service craft from Katalyst Space into orbit. It is designed to approach the telescope and raise it to a safer altitude. The launch will be carried out using a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, which will launch directly from the air after separating from the carrier aircraft.
The Lockheed L-1011 Stargazer has an extremely interesting history. Built in 1974 as a wide-body passenger jet, it was converted in 1994 into a platform for air-launched rockets.
Today, it is the only operational L-1011 aircraft and the only aircraft in the world currently used to launch orbital rockets. The launch process works like this: the aircraft carries a rocket—mounted beneath the fuselage—to an altitude of 12 km and simply releases it. After five seconds of free fall, the rocket fires its own engines and heads into space. Over the past 32 years, the Stargazer has successfully completed nearly 50 such missions.
Why does the observatory need urgent help?
The Swift spacecraft was launched into low Earth orbit back in 2004 to study the most powerful explosions in the universe—gamma-ray bursts. Over years of continuous operation, the telescope has lost a significant amount of altitude due to natural drag from Earth’s atmosphere. If nothing is done, there is a 50 percent chance that by mid-2026 it will enter the dense layers of the atmosphere uncontrollably and burn up.
To prevent the loss of this valuable instrument, NASA has joined forces with the startup Katalyst Space. Their spacecraft, LINK, will function as an orbital tug: it is designed to stabilize the observatory’s orbit and significantly extend its operational life.
Perfect solution for a complex trajectory
So why was an exotic air launch chosen for this mission? The answer lies in the telescope’s specific orbit. Swift orbits Earth at an inclination of 20.6°. This was done specifically to avoid the South Atlantic Anomaly—a region with a weak magnetic field where satellites are exposed to destructive radiation.
To bring the rescue craft to that altitude during a traditional ground launch would require an enormous amount of fuel and a heavy rocket. Instead, the Pegasus XL’s air launch proved to be the only economically viable option that fits perfectly within the mission’s budget.
If successful, this unprecedented operation will be the first of its kind. It will pave the way for regular and affordable robotic satellite servicing, helping NASA and other agencies effectively maintain their orbital fleets.
According to Gizmodo
