NASA's 22-year-old Swift space telescope fell back to Earth on Wednesday, burning up over Indonesia. The observatory ended its mission after a rescue attempt failed. Dean Sladen said, "Satellites this size re-enter the atmosphere regularly, and in nearly 70 years of spaceflight no one has ever been killed by falling debris."

The return of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory came less than three months after a rescue mission to extend its life failed.

NASA's 22-year-old Swift space telescope plunged back to Earth on Wednesday, burning up in the atmosphere over Indonesia and bringing an end to its two-decade mission to study some of the universe's most powerful explosions.

The return of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory came less than three months after a rescue mission to extend its life failed.

The US Space Force confirmed that the telescope re-entered the atmosphere at 7.39 am EST (12.39 GMT) over North Sumatra province in Indonesia, travelling at around 22 times the speed of sound, NASA said.

The space agency expected most of the 1,452 kg spacecraft to burn up due to intense frictional heat, although some debris may have survived. No damage or injuries were reported on the ground.

Failed Rescue Mission Sealed Telescope's Fate

NASA had earlier assessed the risk of falling debris as very low, estimating the chances of anyone on Earth being harmed at one in 2,100.

Dean Sladen, an aerospace engineer at British company Accu Components, said only a few small, burnt fragments were expected to reach the ground, Reuters reported.

"Satellites this size re-enter the atmosphere regularly, and in nearly 70 years of spaceflight no one has ever been killed by falling debris," he said.

NASA had attempted to save Swift through a rescue mission launched in July with Arizona-based start-up Katalyst. Its LINK spacecraft was designed to attach itself to the observatory and push it into a higher orbit.

However, LINK began spinning uncontrollably after reaching space, forcing mission managers to abandon the attempt.

Two Decades Of Groundbreaking Discoveries

Launched in 2004, Swift was designed for a two-year mission to study gamma-ray bursts, among the most powerful explosions known in the universe. It continued operating for 22 years, far beyond its expected lifespan.

During that time, it also observed supernovae, black holes, X-ray flares, asteroids and comets, contributing to around 7,000 scientific research papers.

The telescope stopped operating on October 20 after months of declining orbital stability.