Description
NASA's Swift space telescope plunges back to Earth, ending a 22-year mission studying some of the universe's most powerful explosions.
The Swift Observatory re-entered Earth's atmosphere near Indonesia on Wednesday, after years of intense solar activity gradually pulled it into a lower orbit.
A last-minute rescue attempt by private company Katalyst Space failed after its robotic spacecraft encountered problems and crashed in September.
Launched in 2004 for what was originally a two-year mission, Swift went on to operate for 11 times longer than planned, observing thousands of gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars.
NASA said some parts of the 1.5-tonne spacecraft may have survived re-entry, although the extent remains unknown.
Meanwhile, NASA is exploring possible rescue options for another ageing telescope, Hubble, whose orbit is also being affected by solar activity.
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