US Space Force: NASA's Swift to re-enter after 22 years

Technology Oct 31, 2026

NASA's Swift Observatory, famous for spotting cosmic explosions, is heading back to Earth after 22 years in orbit.

The US Space Force says it will re-enter the atmosphere around October 30, 2026.

Most of it will burn up, but a few pieces could splash down in the ocean.

Swift logged over 2,000 gamma-ray bursts

Since launching in 2004, Swift has helped scientists discover over 2,000 gamma-ray bursts and 1,400 exploding stars.

Even after a robot rescue mission failed this September, Swift kept sending back valuable data until just recently.

Its quick reaction to space explosions made it a go-to for follow-ups by Hubble and Webb telescopes.

Now that its journey is ending, researchers hope lessons from Swift will shape future space missions.