Katalyst Readies LINK For NASA Space Telescope Servicing Boost | Aviation Week Network

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Mark Carreau
May 08, 2026

This mosaic of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is created from images of astronomical objects captured by the satellite’s Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope which recently captured its millionth image. Each tile is 52 x 39 pixels, and at maximum resolution, the entire mosaic is 5,252 x 3,744 pixels. Zoom in to see each tile more clearly. Credit: NASA/Swift and AndreaMosaic

A mosaic of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.

Credit: NASA/Swift and AndreaMosaic

HOUSTON—Katalyst Space Technologies this week completed environmental testing of its LINK robotic servicing spacecraft, a milestone in a planned June launch to boost NASA’s descending Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Launched on Nov. 20, 2004, Swift was placed in an initial 324-nm-high orbit with a…

Mark Carreau

Mark is based in Houston, where he has written on aerospace for more than 25 years. While at the Houston Chronicle, he was recognized by the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation in 2006 for his professional contributions to the public understanding of America’s space program through news reporting.

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