A NASA telescope is slowly plummeting to earth and there's no way to save it

NPR | By Danielle Kurtzleben ,

Henry Larson, Tinbete Ermyas

Published August 23, 2026 at 5:23 PM EDT

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

NASA's Swift Observatory has orbited the Earth since 2004. It's now falling towards earth, and after a failed mission to save it, NASA is leaving the doomed telescope to its fate.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Danielle Kurtzleben

Danielle Kurtzleben is a White House correspondent on NPR's Washington Desk. She appears regularly on the NPR Politics Podcast and other NPR shows.

Henry Larson

Tinbete Ermyas

Support quality journalism, like the story above,
with your gift right now.

Donate

A NASA telescope is slowly plummeting to earth and there's no way to save it

Support quality journalism, like the story above, with your gift right now.

Support quality journalism, like the story above,
with your gift right now.