Nasa Swift space telescope re-enters Earth's atmosphere over Indonesia
The 1,450-kg observatory fell over North Sumatra after atmospheric drag caused it to lose altitude rapidly.
The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory re-entered Earth's atmosphere over the North Sumatra region of Indonesia at approximately 6:09 pm IST on Wednesday, November 4, according to India Today.
The 1,450-kg space telescope ended its mission after atmospheric drag, which was intensified by recent solar activity, caused the craft to lose altitude quickly.
Nasa noted that while most of the spacecraft likely burned up during descent, some parts may have survived and reached the ground.
The US Space Force had previously predicted the re-entry would occur around 2 pm IST on November 4, though the timing was expected to vary by up to 11 hours.
Launched in November 2004, the observatory was initially intended for a two-year mission to study gamma-ray bursts but operated for almost 22 years.
A rescue attempt using the Link commercial spacecraft, developed by Katalyst Space, failed after the craft encountered communication losses and orientation problems.
Shawn Domagal-Goldman, Nasa's Astrophysics Division director, said the rescue effort was a high-risk, high-reward mission from the beginning.
Nasa stated that no one was harmed during the crash, noting the risk of harm was estimated at approximately one in 2,100.