NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned upon reentry on Nov. 4, ending a mission that lasted nearly 22 years. The satellite fell over the North Sumatra region of Indonesia at 7:39 EST, according to the space agency.
The observatory’s demise followed the most recent solar maximum, which accelerated the decay of the satellite’s orbit. NASA stated that a mission intended to rescue the Swift satellite by boosting its orbit was not successful.
During its time in space, the Swift observatory utilized a combination of instruments. The satellite carried an X-ray telescope, a gamma-ray telescope, and an ultraviolet and optical telescope. These instruments worked together to study the fastest and most energetic explosions in the universe, NASA said.
Although the satellite burned on reentry like a shooting star, NASA said the data acquired by the telescope over its mission will continue to bring light to the mysteries of the cosmos for years to come.
To mark the end of the mission, NASA featured a mosaic image. The agency said the image was created in 2018 using the first one million photographs captured by the satellite’s ultraviolet and optical telescope.