After 22 years in space, NASA’s 3,200-pound Swift space telescope crashes back to Earth over Indonesia after failed $30 million rescue mission; agency estimates 1-in-2,100 risk of debris harming someone
Almost 22 years after it was launched, NASA's Swift Observatory is now about to fall back to Earth on Wednesday after attempts to push it back into a higher orbit failed. NASA announced that the aging space telescope is anticipated to re-enter Earth's atmosphere at approximately 3:30AM ET (give or take 11 hours), and that it expects most of the spacecraft to burn up, but some components will likely survive re-entry. The observatory weighs around 3,200 pounds and measures in at 5.6 meters (18.4 f
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How we rate outletsThe story so far
- A truck-sized NASA space telescope is about to crash to Earth.
- ‘Swift’ telescope to crash into Earth after NASA rescue attempt fails.
- 'Sad day' for astronomers as Nasa telescope set to crash back to Earth.
Who's reporting it
All 12 sources- TOTimes of India (IN)Center
After 22 years in space, NASA’s 3,200-pound Swift space telescope crashes back to Earth over Indonesia after failed $30 million rescue mission; agency estimates 1-in-2,100 risk of debris harming someone
- PGPeoples Gazette NigeriaCenter
NASA satellite crashes back to Earth after failed rescue attempt
- MMashableCenter
How to track NASA's Swift space telescope before reentry
- SSpaceCenter
NASA's Swift space telescope crashes back to Earth after failed rescue attempt
- SAScientific AmericanCenter
NASA’s Swift telescope plunges back to Earth
- RNZRNZCenter
NASA's Swift space telescope predicted to crash back to Earth on Wednesday
- ABC (AU)A(ABC (AU)Center
NASA's Swift space telescope predicted to crash back to Earth
- TVThe VergeCenter
A truck-sized NASA space telescope is about to crash to Earth
- EPEL PAÍS EnglishCenter
‘Swift’ telescope to crash into Earth after NASA rescue attempt fails
Timeline
Nov 3
The Verge: The Swift Observatory is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday, and is ‘unlikely’ to cause harm.
Nov 3
RNZ: An Otago based astronomer says it's a sad day as a half-a-billion-dollar satellite looks set to crash back to Earth.
Nov 3
ABC (AU): After plans to save it failed, NASA's Swift telescope is hurtling back to Earth. Here's how to track its descent.
Nov 3
RNZ: A defunct NASA space telescope is expected to plummet back to Earth sometime on Wednesday (local time).
16h ago
Scientific American: The observatory had spent decades studying powerful cosmic explosions and was the target of an unsuccessful rescue mission earlier this year
16h ago
Space: Swift had a pretty good 22-year run, but NASA wanted the scope to keep going even longer.
16h ago
Scientific American: The observatory had spent decades studying powerful cosmic explosions and was the target of an unsuccessful rescue mission earlier this year
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