NASA's Swift Space Telescope Faces Imminent Reentry

Following a failed orbital boost, the 3,300-pound Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is set for an uncontrolled crash back to Earth in the coming days.

After two decades of pioneering research into gamma-ray bursts and cosmic phenomena using its suite of three onboard telescopes, NASA's Swift space telescope is preparing for an uncontrolled atmospheric reentry. The descent comes after a robotic rescue mission failed to elevate the observatory to a safer, higher orbit.

By late October, Swift's orbital altitude had decayed to 171 miles, rendering it incapable of compensating for atmospheric drag. Operators at Pennsylvania State University transitioned the spacecraft to safe mode before executing final decommissioning commands. Atmospheric disintegration dynamics are currently being tracked closely.