NASA telescope expected to fall to Earth soon. Here’s where it could land

A large NASA telescope is falling out of orbit, and some of its pieces could fall back to Earth. (NASA)
Published: Oct. 2, 2026 at 12:05 AM CDT|Updated: 3 hours ago

(CNN) — A large NASA telescope is about to fall to Earth.

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has been observing asteroids, comets and gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe, for 22 years.

The 3,200-pound observatory has fallen to about 200 miles above Earth. An effort to lift it back into a stable orbit failed.

The telescope is expected to enter Earth’s atmosphere in a couple of weeks. Most of it will burn up, but a few chunks might survive and rain down.

Experts say if that happens, the debris will almost definitely fall into the ocean or onto uninhabited land.