Astronomy Today@astronomytodayNASA's Swift telescope has burned up on reentry, ending a 22-year mission. It came down over northern Sumatra on Nov. 4, with no injuries or damage reported so far.
Swift was built to chase gamma-ray bursts, among the most powerful explosions in the universe, and its quick turns let astronomers study them before they faded.
Growing solar activity swelled Earth's upper atmosphere, dragging the craft down to about 275 kilometers by Oct. 20. A private rescue by Katalyst Space Technologies stalled when its LINK craft ran into control trouble, and NASA dropped the plan in August.
