Katalyst Space Technologies' Link servicing satellite reached orbit Friday aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL, dropped from a modified L-1011 over the Pacific. The mission targets NASA's Swift astronomy satellite for orbital reboost, marking a commercial first in on-orbit servicing. Three prior attempts at Kwajalein Atoll failed: two scrubbed by weather, one stopped by a vehicle issue that prevented rocket deployment after the carrier aircraft was already airborne.
Halfway through 2026, only one of the 20 most-anticipated launches from January's list has completed: NASA's Artemis II in April. Most others have slipped to 2027. NASA's Roman Space Telescope remains a rare exception, still tracking toward a near-term launch window.
The full report breaks down where each of those 20 missions now stands, covers an Indian startup approaching its first orbital attempt, and details SpaceX crossing a launch milestone measured in the thousands. The individual mission updates are worth the read, not just the scorecard.
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