NASA ends Swift observatory's mission as its orbit decays

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has ended its science mission, according to NASA. The agency said the spacecraft is now orbiting less than 275 kilometers above Earth, where greater atmospheric drag prevents its telescopes from pointing steadily at their astronomical targets.

Swift made its final observation on Oct. 20. NASA says it is expected to re-enter the atmosphere in the next few weeks.

In a post on its Swift blog, NASA said recent solar activity had increased atmospheric drag on Swift, and the spacecraft began to sink rapidly.