Posted: Sat, Jul 4, 2026, 8:14 PM ET (0014 GMT)
A Pegasus XL rocket launched a spacecraft Friday to try to raise the orbit of a NASA astrophysics spacecraft. The Pegasus launched from its L-1011 carrier aircraft, flying out of Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific, at 4:36 am EDT (0835 GMT). The rocket carried Link, a spacecraft built by Katalyst Space that is designed to attach to NASA's Swift gamma-ray observatory and raise its orbit before Swift reenters in several months. Link will take several weeks to check out its systems and approach Swift before attempts to grapple it. This is the first Pegasus launch in five years and the last flight of the vehicle under contract.

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