Kiwi astronomer laments the end of NASA’s Swift Observatory
Otago Museum director Ian Griffin calls the impending loss of the Swift satellite a sad day for astronomy.
Otago Museum director and astronomer Ian Griffin described Wednesday as “a sad day” as NASA’s Swift Observatory is set to re‑enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up over the Pacific Ocean.
The half‑a‑billion‑dollar satellite, launched in 2004 to study black holes and exploding stars, has been gradually losing altitude. A last‑ditch effort in 2025 to boost its orbit failed, leaving re‑entry as the only outcome.
Griffin praised Swift as “one of the best tools” and “a remarkable space telescope,” noting its role in understanding the universe’s biggest explosions and even witnessing the death of a star more than 13 billion years ago.
He expects most of the spacecraft to disintegrate during re‑entry, raising questions about satellite disposal. We, in recent years, put enormous numbers of satellites up into low Earth orbit and they’re now re‑entering at a rate of about two a day, he said.
Griffin added that the material from burning satellites enters the atmosphere, effectively changing its chemistry in what he called “a great experiment at the moment,” with uncertain long‑term effects.
As the Swift Observatory’s mission draws to a close, the astronomer’s dejection underscores broader concerns about the growing tide of space debris and its impact on Earth’s environment.
