NASA abandons mission to save Swift Observatory from a fiery death

The 22-year-old orbital observatory is expected to plunge back to Earth sometime in October. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy . NASA engineers have confirmed they can't spare the historic Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from a fiery demise, despite their best efforts.