SciencePhoto: Aaj TakNASA's Swift Telescope Returns to Earth After 22 Years in Space
NASA's Swift space telescope re-entered Earth's atmosphere over northern Sumatra on November 4, 2026, at 7:39 AM ET. Weighing about 1450 kg, this minibus-sized observatory studied the universe's most powerful explosions for 22 years. Launched in November 2004 with a two-year mission to study gamma-ray bursts, Swift exceeded expectations by detecting over 2000 bursts and 1400 supernovae before its uncontrolled descent. Most of it burned up, with a 1 in 2100 chance of harm reported by NASA.
Aaj Tak·



