NASA's Swift Space Telescope to Burn Up After Failed Rescue
Written by AI from sciencenews.org's report. Not checked by a person.
NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004 and far outlasting its two-year design life, is set to burn up in Earth's atmosphere within days after a failed effort to save it.
NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004 as a two-year mission, is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up within days after falling uncontrollably due to decades of atmospheric drag gradually lowering its orbit. A rescue mission to boost the telescope back to a stable altitude failed to materialise, sealing its fate. Swift was built to detect and rapidly follow up on gamma-ray bursts — the universe's most powerful explosions — carrying three instruments covering gamma-ray, X-ray, and ultraviolet and visible wavelengths simultaneously, a combination astrophysicists describe as unlike any other observatory before or since. In 22 years of operation it observed the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded (nicknamed BOAT), captured landmark data on neutron star mergers in 2017, and detected magnetar outbursts. It also pioneered open data sharing in astronomy, inspiring subsequent missions to follow suit. Scientists warn that no current or planned observatory can fully replace Swift's unique combination of rapid response and multi-wavelength capability, leaving a significant gap in humanity's ability to detect and study rare, fleeting cosmic events.
