NASA's Swift Space Telescope Expected to Re-enter Earth's Atmosphere

The Swift space telescope, operated by NASA, is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere around 8:46 PM Korean time (±2 hours) on November 4.

However, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute has stated that there is no possibility of the telescope falling on the Korean Peninsula. The institute plans to monitor the situation in collaboration with the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute until the re-entry is complete.

As of 8 AM on the same day, the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute predicted that the Swift telescope would enter the atmosphere around 8:46 PM (±2 hours). The U.S. Combined Space Operations Center (CSpOC) estimated the time at around 7:47 PM (±5 hours), while the European Space Agency (ESA) projected it for around 9 PM (±4.8 hours), with analyses from domestic and international agencies converging on the evening timeframe.

The Swift space telescope operates in a 20.5-degree orbital inclination, covering areas between 20.5 degrees south latitude and 20.5 degrees north latitude. This inclination defines the maximum latitudes the satellite can reach. The Korean Peninsula, located north of 33 degrees latitude, is not included in the potential fall zone and does not warrant a crisis alert.

Launched in November 2004, the Swift telescope is a satellite weighing approximately 1.5 tons, designed to observe gamma-ray bursts—powerful emissions that occur when massive stars collapse or neutron stars collide. The satellite completed its mission on October 20 and has since been uncontrolled, descending to an altitude of approximately 199 to 205 kilometers above Earth.

Considering the uncontrolled re-entry of a large satellite, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Oh Tae-seok, head of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, stated, "While there is no possibility of the Swift space telescope falling on the Korean Peninsula, we will closely monitor the situation in collaboration with relevant agencies until re-entry is complete. We will continue to enhance our monitoring and response capabilities to protect the public from space hazards such as satellite falls and collisions."

* This article has been translated by AI.