A NASA space telescope plunged back to Earth after a mission that lasted 11 times longer than planned

PBS NewsHour · 2026-11-04 23:39 UTC

The Swift Observatory's demise came less than three months after a long-shot rescue mission failed.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — One of NASA's premier space telescopes plunged to Earth on Wednesday, ending its 22-year investigation of the universe's biggest explosions.

The Swift Observatory's demise came less than three months after a long-shot rescue mission failed.

The U.S. Space Force confirmed Swift's reentry near Indonesia after tracking its sinking orbit, the result of intense solar activity the past few years.

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