NASA's Swift Observatory Set for Reentry After 22 Years in Space

• NASA's Swift observatory made its final observation on October 20 and is expected to re-enter the atmosphere in the next few weeks.
• Swift, designed to study gamma-ray bursts, was launched on November 20, 2004, on a two-year mission but lasted almost 22 years.
• Atmospheric drag is lowering the spacecraft's orbit, leading to its reentry.
• Swift conducted its final observation at an altitude of less than 171 miles (275 kilometers) above Earth's surface, preventing steady astronomical observations.