NASA’s Swift Observatory Falls to Earth, Ending 22-Year Mission

The Swift Observatory reentered Earth's atmosphere on Wednesday, concluding its operational run.

The U.S. Space Force confirmed the spacecraft's descent near Indonesia. Intense solar activity over the past few years increased atmospheric drag, which pulled the telescope into a sinking orbit. This decay accelerated the end of the mission.

A private rescue attempt failed to save the observatory. NASA hired Katalyst Space to conduct an orbit-boosting mission. The company launched a three-armed robotic craft in July, but the vehicle encountered technical issues. The Katalyst craft crashed in September, less than three months before Swift fell.

The 1.5-ton spacecraft burned up upon reentry. NASA estimated that some denser components might survive the atmospheric passage, though the exact amount of debris remaining on the ground was not immediately known. The agency had anticipated partial survival of the hardware.

Swift launched in 2004 with a planned two-year lifespan. Its primary role was studying gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars. The observatory operated for 22 years, lasting 11 times longer than originally intended. It detected thousands of cosmic events and served as a first responder for other telescopes to conduct deeper observations.

NASA is now assessing options for the Hubble Space Telescope, which faces a similar threat. Launched in 1990, Hubble is expected to deorbit by the mid-2030s due to solar storms. The space agency is soliciting input from private companies on methods to boost Hubble's orbit, upgrade its systems, or guide a controlled reentry. Any intervention must occur by 2032.

NASA Science Mission Chief Nicky Fox noted that the agency has more time to evaluate Hubble options than it did for Swift. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement that Hubble still has important science ahead and that the agency should explore every reasonable opportunity to keep it operating as long as possible.