A long-running NASA space telescope concluded its mission after a dramatic, uncontrolled re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, marking the end of a 22-year effort to study the universe’s most powerful cosmic events. The observatory, designed to detect high-energy phenomena like gamma-ray bursts and supernovae, had far exceeded its original lifespan, providing decades of groundbreaking data before its fiery descent. Scientists had been monitoring its orbit as it gradually lost altitude, with no remnants expected to survive the re-entry. The telescope’s legacy includes transformative discoveries about extreme astrophysical processes that reshaped our understanding of the cosmos.
One of NASA’s premier space telescopes plunged to Earth on Wednesday, ending its 22-year investigation of the universe’s biggest explosions.
