NASA's Swift spacecraft is on the verge of plunging back to Earth after failed rescue mission
NASA's Swift Observatory is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere next week following a failed rescue mission. While most of the telescope will burn up, some debris may survive, though it is likely to land in the ocean.
Why it matters
The event marks the end of a significant 22-year scientific mission that provided critical data on gamma ray bursts and supernovas.
Spectrum Astro workers remove the final pieces of protective cover on the Swift spacecraft in Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on Sept. 9, 2002 (AP) NASA's Swift Observatory is expected to plunge back to Earth next week after a failed rescue effort left the aging telescope drifting progressively lower.
The U.S. Space Force predicts the telescope will come crashing down on or around Friday.
Most of the 1 ½-ton telescope should incinerate upon descent, though dense tungsten components and mirror elements could survive reentry, according to NASA's Brad Cenko, the mission's chief scientist.
Any surviving wreckage will likely plunge into the ocean, but portions of Africa, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America remain inside the reentry zone. The Space Force continues to monitor the craft's trajectory.
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A Failing NASA Space Telescope Plunges Back Toward Earth
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NASA telescope is on the verge of plunging back to Earth after failed rescue mission - AP News
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