Pennsylvania · Regional Lead · 2026-10-23
NASA reports Swift operations ended as atmospheric drag increases
The October 23 account describes an October 20 safe-mode transition and preparations for eventual atmospheric re-entry.
NASA reported October 23 that its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory had concluded operations as its orbit declined. The account says the spacecraft reached an altitude of about 171 miles on October 20, where increased atmospheric drag prevented it from compensating effectively and it entered safe mode.
The operations team at Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania, then sent a command ending operations in preparation for atmospheric re-entry. NASA expected re-entry in the following weeks; the announcement did not confirm that it had already occurred or establish an exact impact time.
A commercial servicing effort had previously ended without attempting to raise Swift’s orbit. Science observations subsequently resumed, allowing the observatory to examine hundreds of targets, including stellar remnants, active black holes and comets. NASA says that return to observing also increased drag on the spacecraft.
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Environment · 2026-10-28
Governments form international group on nature-credit finance
An October 28 Commission report describes a cooperation initiative launched the previous day at biodiversity talks in Armenia.
The European Commission reported October 28 that an international group would coordinate work on credits intended to finance nature protection. Commissioner Jessika Roswall launched the initiative October 27 at the COP17 biodiversity meeting in Yerevan, Armenia, at an event co-hosted with France and Peru.
The group is an informal government-led platform rather than a newly established mandatory trading system. Participants include European countries and governments from other regions, including Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand. Its purpose is to develop support and cooperation around biodiversity finance.
Read articleScience · 2026-10-28
Lucy reaches Trojan asteroid region ahead of 2027 encounter
NASA’s October 28 update describes a new stage in the spacecraft’s journey; its first Trojan flyby remains scheduled for August 2027.
NASA reported October 28 that Lucy had entered the region occupied by Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids after traveling more than 2.2 billion miles. Launched in October 2021, it is approaching the population ahead of Jupiter in its solar orbit.
There is no sharp physical boundary marking this region. Engineers establish Lucy’s position through radio tracking and images of background stars. The spacecraft and its instruments continue operating as expected despite diminishing sunlight and lower temperatures farther from the Sun.
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