Space telescope plunges to Earth after 2 decades
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One of NASA’s most successful space telescopes has plunged back to Earth.
The U.S. Space Force said the Swift Observatory reentered Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday near Indonesia.
NASA officials believe the 3,200-pound spacecraft likely burned up upon reentry, but a few components may have survived. Its demise came less than three months after a rescue mission failed.
Swift was launched in 2004 to study gamma ray bursts and exploding stars and has been pulled back toward Earth ever since. The mission was meant to last for two years but continued for more than two decades.
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The U.S. Space Force said the Swift Observatory reentered Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday near Indonesia.
NASA officials believe the 3,200-pound spacecraft likely burned up upon reentry, but a few components may have survived. Its demise came less than three months after a rescue mission failed.
Swift was launched in 2004 to study gamma ray bursts and exploding stars and has been pulled back toward Earth ever since. The mission was meant to last for two years but continued for more than two decades.
Watch PBS News for daily, breaking and live news, plus special coverage. We are home to PBS News Hour, ranked the most credible and objective TV news show.
Sign up for Here's The Deal with Lisa Desjardins: https://to.pbs.org/41q6E8i
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