Private mission to save NASA's Swift space telescope fails

A privately funded mission aimed at extending the operational life of NASA’s Swift space telescope experienced a critical failure during its attempt to raise the observatory’s orbit. The spacecraft, operated by AstroForge, was designed to counteract Swift’s declining altitude and prevent an uncontrolled reentry. Unfortunately, the boost maneuver did not succeed as planned, leaving Swift on a trajectory destined for a return to Earth. Experts predict that Swift is now expected to re-enter the atmosphere sometime later this year. This outcome represents a significant setback for efforts to maintain continuous gamma-ray burst observations from the aging satellite.