NASA telescope disintegrates in atmosphere after more than twenty years

NASA's Swift Observatory has re-entered Earth's atmosphere after over twenty years of operation, following a failed rescue mission. The telescope, launched in 2004, was designed for gamma-ray research and exceeded its expected lifespan. Despite attempts to save it from a predicted crash due to solar activity, the rescue satellite malfunctioned and crashed in September. Swift observed over 2000 gamma-ray bursts and 1400 supernovae, contributing to 7000 scientific publications.