# NASA Telescope Re-Enters Earth's Atmosphere

> NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, is expected to burn up in Earth's atmosphere Wednesday after a failed rescue mission.
- Title: NASA Telescope Re-Enters Earth's Atmosphere · the Guardian
- Summary: NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, is expected to burn up in Earth's atmosphere Wednesday after a failed rescue mission. NASA's Neil…
- Keywords: nasa, neil gehrels swift observatory, gamma ray bursts, re-entry, space, cosmic explosions, the Guardian
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/science/2026/nov/03/nasa-telescope-neil-gehrels-swift-observatory
- Published: 2026-11-03T19:50:27+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nasa, neil gehrels swift observatory, gamma ray bursts, re-entry, space, cosmic explosions, science
## Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere Wednesday, burning up in the process.
## Failed Rescue Mission
The satellite, designed for two years of operation, can no longer steer or observe and will re-enter uncontrolled.
## Re-Entry Timeline
NASA predicts the 3,200lb spacecraft will hit the atmosphere at 3:30am ET on November 4, 2026.
## Surviving Fragments
Most of the spacecraft will burn up, but surviving fragments may land between 20.6 degrees south and 20.6 degrees north latitude.
## Risk Assessment
The risk of harm to anyone on Earth is approximately 1 in 2,100, according to NASA.
## Gamma-Ray Burst Observations
The observatory detected over 2,000 gamma-ray bursts since its launch, the most powerful cosmic explosions since the big bang.
## Tidal Disruption Event
Swift observed a wandering black hole shredding a star, a rare event occurring once every 100,000 years.
## Key takeaway

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory will re-enter Earth's atmosphere Wednesday, burning up after two decades of cosmic gamma-ray burst observations.