Solar storms kill Swift telescope, warning Hubble faces same fate soon
Solar storms lowered the telescope's orbit, forcing a reentry near Indonesia after a private mission to save it crashed in September.
By Paula Delgado ·
The Swift Observatory no longer exists. The spacecraft, which has tracked the universe's most violent events for 22 years, reentered Earth's atmosphere on Wednesday. The U.S. Space Force confirmed the descent occurred near Indonesia. This event marks the abrupt end of a mission that outlasted its original design by a factor of eleven.
The decision to let Swift fall was driven by physics rather than a scheduled end date. Intense solar activity over the past several years thickened the upper atmosphere. This increase in drag slowly pulled the telescope from its stable orbit. By the time NASA acted, the spacecraft was too low to remain viable.
NASA attempted to save the observatory less than three months ago. In July, the agency contracted Katalyst Space to perform an orbit boost. The private company launched a three-armed robotic vehicle designed to attach to Swift and push it back into space. Technical failures occurred shortly after launch. The rescue craft crashed in September, leaving Swift without a second chance.
Launched in 2004, Swift was initially planned for a two-year study. It proved far more durable than expected. Over two decades, it observed thousands of gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars. The telescope served as a first responder for astronomers, quickly locating events so other ground and space-based instruments could conduct deeper analysis.
The spacecraft weighed nearly one and a half tonnes. Most of its structure burned up during reentry. NASA anticipated that denser components would survive the passage through the atmosphere. It was not immediately clear how many pieces reached the ground intact.
The loss of Swift shifts attention to the Hubble Space Telescope. Launched in 1990, Hubble is also experiencing orbital decay due to solar storms. Analyses suggest it will fall from orbit by the mid-2030s if no action is taken. NASA is currently gauging industry interest in a rescue mission for the aging asset.
The agency is seeking input from private companies on potential strategies. Options include boosting the orbit, upgrading onboard systems, or guiding Hubble to a controlled reentry. NASA is considering implementing all three measures. Any rescue mission must be completed by 2032 to be effective. NASA science mission chief Nicky Fox noted the agency has more time to evaluate options for Hubble than it did for Swift. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, "Hubble still has important science ahead of it. And we should be looking at every reasonable opportunity to keep it delivering for as long as possible."
