NASA's Swift Observatory is expected to come back down to Earth, with reports pointing to a re-entry around Wednesday. NewsNation reports on what is known about the spacecraft's return, while Popular Science states that the NASA telescope will likely plummet to Earth on Wednesday.
The orbital observatory has spent 21 years in space, according to Interesting Engineering. NASA's own science site has also announced that the Swift Observatory is due to re-enter the atmosphere. Coverage from Space has raised the question of where the falling hardware will land.
The material reviewed does not specify an exact impact location or a confirmed time for the event. Those details remain the main open questions as the re-entry window approaches.
Swift's return adds it to the list of aging satellites and telescopes that eventually drop out of orbit and burn up or fall back through the atmosphere. The reports frame the event as an expected end to a mission that has lasted more than two decades.
Watch for updated re-entry predictions and any NASA statement confirming the timing and location of the observatory's return.
