NASA telescope is on the verge of plunging back to Earth after failed rescue mission

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1. 2h ago

   NASA Swift Telescope Nears Earth Reentry After Failed Rescue

   The aging Swift Observatory is on the verge of plunging back to Earth following a failed rescue mission that left the spacecraft sinking lower in orbit. The U.S. Space Force predicts the telescope will come crashing down on or around Friday. While most of the structure is expected to burn up in the atmosphere, conflicting expectations surround the debris. Some reports indicate surviving pieces will land in the ocean, while others warn that large portions of Central and South America, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia fall within the potential reentry zone and could be peppered with remnants.

   Why it matters

   The Swift Observatory spent two decades tracking powerful cosmic explosions, gamma ray bursts, and supernovas. Its final descent follows a failed rescue effort that left the spacecraft unable to maintain its position. The spacecraft's science data and observations of the most powerful explosions since the Big Bang will remain useful for decades to come.

   What is confirmed

   • The aging Swift Observatory is on the verge of plunging back to Earth after a failed rescue mission.
   • The U.S. Space Force predicts the Swift Observatory will come crashing down on or around Friday.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Large portions of Africa, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America fall within the reentry zone and could be peppered with debris.
   • A few pieces that do not burn up in the atmosphere are expected to land in the ocean on or about Friday.

   What to watch next

   • Confirmation of the exact time and location of the telescope's atmospheric reentry
   • Reports from aerospace authorities on whether any debris reaches Earth's surface
   Sources used for this update (16)

   1. mynews13.com — SpaceX launches Bandwagon-5 mission Tuesday morning
   2. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos — NASA telescope is on the verge of plunging back to Earth after failed rescue mission
   3. IFLScience — The Swift Space Telescope Is About To Fall Down To Earth. Its Science Will Be Used For Decades To Come
   4. Live Science — NASA's Swift observatory ends 22-year mission to study the most powerful explosions since the Big Bang
   5. Science News — NASA's trailblazing Swift telescope will go out in a blaze of glory
   6. Newsweek — NASA telescope could drop debris on Earth after failed rescue mission
   7. Interesting Engineering — NASA’s Swift telescope to fall back to Earth after 21 years in orbit
   8. abcnews.com — NASA telescope on the verge of plunging to Earth after failed ...
   9. www.aol.com — NASA telescope on the verge of crashing to Earth after failed ...
   10. tech.yahoo.com — NASA telescope is on the verge of plunging back to Earth ...
   11. globalnews.ca — NASA telescope on the verge of plunging back to Earth after ...
   12. www.latimes.com — NASA’s Swift telescope on the verge of plunging back to Earth
   confidence 90%