November 7, 2026

NASA's Swift telescope has burned up, months after a robot sent to save it failed

Read the source: Phys.org (Space News section) (opens in new tab)

NASA's Swift telescope burned up after failing to be saved. The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory took its last look at the sky on October 20, 2026, while orbiting about 171 miles above Earth. NASA ended the telescope's mission three days later due to increased drag from the thin air.

Topics: satellites and astronomy