A NASA space observatory has re-entered Earth’s atmosphere after an attempted rescue mission failed, with the satellite coming down over Indonesia on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
The U.S. space agency said most of the satellite was believed to have burnt up during re-entry, although some components may have survived. There were no immediate reports of damage.
The unmanned Swift space observatory, launched from Cape Canaveral in 2004, was equipped with three telescopes and had been used primarily to study gamma-ray bursts—the universe’s most powerful explosions. Despite being in good condition, the satellite began falling out of orbit, partly due to powerful geomagnetic storms triggered by solar eruptions.
In an effort to preserve Swift and its scientific capabilities, NASA launched an unprecedented rescue mission in early July. An unmanned towing spacecraft, Link, was sent into space from the Marshall Islands using a Stargazer aircraft and a Pegasus rocket. Developed by U.S. space company Katalyst Space at a cost of about 30 million dollars, the 400-kilogramme spacecraft was designed to approach Swift and return it to its original orbit.
However, the rescue mission was abandoned after a problem emerged with Link’s control system. The spacecraft had been equipped with three robotic arms, three main engines and other instruments intended to carry out the operation over several months.
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