Long-serving space observatory Swift nearing Earth’s atmosphere

Increased solar activity in 2024 significantly impacted Swift’s orbit, expanding the atmosphere and increasing drag. Without a propulsion system, its descent became inevitable. A $30 million rescue mission, utilizing a robotic spacecraft called LINK, was launched in July 2026 to raise Swift’s orbit by 150 miles. However, the mission was ultimately unsuccessful due to issues with LINK’s control system, as explained by NASA administrator Jared Isaacman.

As of October 26, Swift is now less than 170 miles from Earth, a dangerously low orbit. Its observational capabilities have ceased, and the Pennsylvania State University operations team officially ended its operational status on October 20. “Swift delivered an incredible, lasting return on investment for the nation, designed for a two-year primary mission but productive for more than 10 times as long,” stated Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA headquarters.

During its operational life, Swift observed over 2,000 gamma-ray bursts and nearly as many supernovas, resulting in more than 7,000 research papers. Its data archive is expected to continue yielding discoveries for years to come.

The US Space Force predicts Swift will reenter the atmosphere and likely crash on or around Friday, November 6. Most of the observatory is expected to burn up during reentry, but some components, including tungsten pieces and mirror fragments, may survive. Dean Sladen, an aerospace engineer, noted that reaction wheels, lenses, and mirrors are likely candidates for survival.

The potential debris field spans a wide area including Africa, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America. While the risk to human life is considered extremely low, according to Brad Cenko, NASA’s chief scientist for the mission, the precise impact location remains unreleased, with most debris anticipated to fall into the ocean.