LINK
[pilot]aerial · drones · 2 deployments in catalog
Manufacturer
Katalyst Space TechnologiesForm Factor
aerial
Lifecycle
pilot
Operational Reality
Audited
Deployments
2
Target Price
Custom Quote
- AERIAL
- PILOT
Description
LINK is a robotic spacecraft servicing vehicle designed to rendezvous with, capture, and boost satellites in LEO. Launched July 3, 2026 on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, LINK was the first commercial robotic servicing spacecraft hired by NASA to boost the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to a higher orbit. During commissioning, the spacecraft suffered a serious anomaly: two of three reaction wheels failed and the vehicle began tumbling out of control.
Key facts & specs
- website
- https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/07/28/commissioning-update-for-spacecraft-to-boost-nasas-swift/
- maturity
- pilot
- lifecycle
- active
- manufacturer
- Katalyst Space Technologies
- deployments count
- 2
- Maturity stage
- pilot
- Form factor
- Robotic spacecraft servicing vehicle
- Mission
- Rendezvous with and boost NASA Swift Observatory to higher orbit
- Launch date
- July 3, 2026
- Launch vehicle
- Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket
- Status
- Tumbling out of control — recovery attempts underway
- Anomaly
- Two of three reaction wheels failed; thruster problems
- Build time
- Built in under one year due to urgent orbital decay timeline
- First
- First commercial robotic servicing spacecraft hired by NASA
Safety record
1 incident on record (1 serious). Most recent: Jul 2026.
FAQ
What is LINK?
LINK is a robotic spacecraft servicing vehicle designed to rendezvous with, capture, and boost satellites in LEO. Launched July 3, 2026 on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, LINK was the first commercial robotic servicing spacecraft hired by NASA to boost the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to a higher orbit. During commissioning, the spacecraft suffered a serious anomaly: two of three reaction wheels failed and the vehicle began tumbling out of control.
Is LINK actually deployed in the real world?
Yes. LINK is independently verified in real-world operation on the DEPLOY registry, confirmed at named deployment sites with primary sources: not a concept, render, or demo-only.
Who makes LINK?
LINK is made by Katalyst Space Technologies, based in Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
Where is LINK deployed?
2 verified deployments of LINK are on the DEPLOY registry, including at United States (multiple hotel chains), Germany, Europe.
Can you buy LINK?
LINK is in pilot deployments with named customers and is not yet broadly for sale.
What are alternatives to LINK?
On the DEPLOY registry, comparable aerial robots to LINK include Wing Delivery Aircraft, Skydio X10, Zipline Platform 2 (P2), Prime Air MK30.
How does LINK compare to Wing Delivery Aircraft?
LINK and Wing Delivery Aircraft (Wing · 35 deployments) are both aerial robots on the DEPLOY registry. LINK has 2 verified deployments on record. Compare both records for specs, safety, deployments, and verified-vs-claimed autonomy.
Is LINK a top aerial?
On DEPLOY's intelligence score, which blends verified deployments, safety, adoption, media, and IP signals, LINK ranks in roughly the top 20% of aerial models tracked by the registry.
What is LINK's maturity stage?
LINK is at the pilot stage on the DEPLOY maturity ladder (research, prototype, pilot, commercial, production). Pilot stage means at least one named-customer trial deployment is verified.
Is LINK safe?
LINK has 1 active incident on record in the DEPLOY registry. 1 incident on record (1 serious). Most recent: Jul 2026. Retracted incidents are excluded from this count.