NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, the 22-year-old space telescope that was the target of a failed orbit-raising rescue, was expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday, Nov. 4, but forecasts differed by several hours. NASA forecast reentry at about 3:30 a.m. Eastern time; Aerospace Corporation projected 5:19 a.m., plus or minus two hours, while revised U.S. Space Force data cited by astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell pointed to about 7:45 a.m. [thehindubusinessline.com][dawn.com][straitstimes.com] Most of the roughly 1,450-kilogram observatory is expected to burn up. NASA estimates the chance of debris harming someone on Earth at about 1 in 2,100. Any surviving pieces are expected to fall within a tropical band that includes large ocean areas and parts of Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas. The Space Force and NASA are monitoring the descent and updating predictions as the reentry window approaches [theguardian.com][krdo.com][thehindubusinessline.com]. Solar activity expanded the upper atmosphere and increased drag on Swift, which had no propulsion system to raise its orbit. The failed rescue effort tested commercial spacecraft grappling technology. Swift provided rapid alerts that helped other observatories study brief cosmic events [thehindubusinessline.com][spaceflightnow.com][mashable.com]. Highlights: • Potential debris: The observatory’s six heavy reaction wheels and tougher telescope parts, such as lenses and mirrors, are among the components that could survive reentry, Wired reported [wired.com]. • Scientific record: Swift observed more than 2,000 gamma-ray bursts and over 1,400 supernovas [sicnoticias.pt][spaceflightnow.com]. • Open data: Swift released its observations publicly as they arrived, a practice that inspired other observatory teams to do the same, according to astrophysicists quoted by Space.com [reddit.com]. • Final observing run: After the rescue attempt failed, Swift resumed observations and captured a highly energetic, distant gamma-ray burst in late September [reddit.com]. Perspectives: Parker Wishik, Aerospace Corporation spokesperson: Wishik said the current safety benchmark for uncontrolled reentries is an expected casualty rate below 1 in 10,000, with casualty defined as serious injury or death [krdo.com]. (KRDO) Brad Cenko, Swift mission principal investigator: Cenko said he considered the rescue effort a success for the capabilities it advanced, even though the LINK spacecraft failed to reach the mission’s goal [mashable.com]. (Mashable) "The satellite is in a very circular orbit, skimming the top of the atmosphere." — Jonathan McDowell, honorary professor at the Durham University Space Research Centre Sources: • NASA’s Swift Observatory Is Falling to Earth. Here’s What to Know About the Impending Impact - wired.com • A 3,200-pound NASA spacecraft could fall to Earth tonight - livescience.com • Nasa telescope launched in 2004 to plunge back to Earth after failed rescue mission - theguardian.com • ‘Swift’ telescope to crash into Earth after NASA rescue attempt fails - elpais.com • A NASA Telescope Is Predicted to Crash Back to Earth Within Hours - nytimes.com • NASA's trailblazing Swift telescope will go out in a blaze of glory - reddit.com • El telescopio ‘Swift’ está a punto de caer a la Tierra, tras fracasar el rescate de la NASA - elpais.com • NASA's Swift space telescope set for fiery re-entry after failed rescue - thehindubusinessline.com • NASA’s Swift satellite telescope heads for fiery re-entry 22 years after launch - straitstimes.com • Heres how to track the Swift telescopes final hours before it crashes - mashable.com • A 3,200-pound NASA observatory is careening back toward Earth. Here’s what to know - krdo.com • Telescópio da Nasa cairá na Terra nas próximas horas após resgate fracassar - folha.com.br • Kính viễn vọng 250 triệu USD của NASA đang rơi xuống Trái Đất - vnexpress.net • Swift spacecraft fiery reentry expected within the next 24 hours - earthsky.org • NASA prevê que telescópio Swift caia descontroladamente na Terra esta quarta-feira - sicnoticias.pt • Nasa's Swift satellite telescope heads for fiery re-entry 22 years after launch - dawn.com • NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to burn up this week after more than two decades in space - spaceflightnow.com • Svemirski teleskop Swift ove srijede pada na Zemlju, ne zna se točno gdje - bug.hr --- 📰 Story aggregated by Kagi News