NASA’s Swift telescope reentered Earth’s atmosphere on Nov. 4 after a private rescue mission failed to boost it into a higher orbit.

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The telescope re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere above the North Sumatra region of Indonesia on Wednesday, Nov. 4

A loss of communication has affected the NASA-funded SSPICY mission as researchers work to understand the situation.

The Swift Observatory's impending demise comes about three months after NASA and its commercial partners attempted to mount a failed rescue mission to extend the telescope's life. The operation involved launching a spacecraft up to Earth orbit with the objective of grabbing Swift and boosting it higher into space.

The launch took place in April 2026