NASA's Swift space telescope has re-entered Earth's atmosphere and burned up, Phys.org reports. The re-entry came months after a robotic mission dispatched to save the observatory failed. NASA confirmed the re-entry in its own announcement, and Reuters described the satellite falling from orbit in a fiery finale.
Swift was 22 years old at the time of its descent, according to Reuters. AP News reported that the telescope was on the verge of plunging back to Earth following the unsuccessful rescue effort. Space had also reported on the impending crash and the open question of where the debris would fall.
The observatory's end closes a mission that spanned more than two decades in orbit. The failed robotic attempt to preserve it preceded the re-entry by several months, though the material reviewed does not detail why that effort did not succeed.
Coverage of the event came from several outlets, including NASA, Reuters, AP News and Space, alongside Phys.org's report. NASA's own release was titled "NASA's Swift Observatory Re-Entered Atmosphere," confirming the agency's acknowledgment of the telescope's loss.
What to watch next: whether NASA releases further details on the re-entry and on the outcome of the earlier rescue attempt.
