NASA telescope is on the verge of plunging back to Earth after failed rescue mission
Summary
NASA’s Swift Observatory is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere on or around Friday after a failed rescue attempt left it dropping lower in orbit. Most of the telescope should burn up, though some denser fragments could survive and fall into the ocean.
Key Points
- The U.S. Space Force says NASA’s Swift Observatory is nearing reentry after years of orbital decay.
- A rescue mission by Katalyst Space failed when its robot got no closer than 7 to 9 miles from the telescope.
- Swift completed 22 years in orbit and observed more than 2,000 gamma ray bursts and 1,400 exploding stars.
- Scientists say the mission’s lessons will help future space observatories and rescue efforts.
