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"NASA's attempt to boost the Swift Observatory falls short, but there's still much to learn from the mission."

Views expressed in this science and technology update are those of the reporters and correspondents.  Accessed on 27 August 2026, 1357 UTC.

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NASA was unable to save the Swift Observatory and it may soon find its final resting place after falling from orbit. Here on Earth, the San Andreas Fault may be slipping faster than we realized and the Ebola outbreak reaches 5,000 cases.                                                                               -Monica Cull, Digital Editor NASA's Attempt to Boost the Swift Observatory Falls Short, but There's Still Much to Learn From the Mission NASA's Swift Observatory has spent more than 20 years studying gamma-ray bursts from low Earth orbit. A first-of-its-kind mission to boost it to a higher altitude experienced a control issue, and Swift is now expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere later this year.

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The Chinchorro People of the Atacama Desert Made the World's Oldest Mummies Using a Highly Complex Process  Two millennia before the Egyptians, the Chinchorro people of the Atacama Desert were dismantling and reconstructing bodies with clay, fibers, and mineral pigments. Each adult mummy required around 3.1 pounds of manganese for its black coating alone.   Read More Discover these stories of the week: Congo's Largest Ebola Outbreak Tops 5,000 Cases as Death Toll Exceeds 2,300 2,000-Year-Old Chinese Rock Art May Have Been Preserved with Blood and Lime AI Reveals Why Some People Respond Better to the COVID-19 Vaccine Than Others New Images Show the 60-Foot Crater a SpaceX Rocket Left on the Moon Drought Brings ‘Sava’s Titanic,’ a World War II-Era Shipwreck, Back Into View in Serbia Taking Vitamin D Daily Was Associated With Better Cognitive Performance in Those at Risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia

Hi Reader,  I was just a kid when NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory launched into space. In the more than 20 years since, the observatory has worked as NASA’s multitool, collecting data on gamma-ray bursts and other phenomena. It’s been a vital part of NASA’s research, and when they found out it was slowly being dragged lower into Earth’s orbit, a team sprang into action to save it.   NASA and private partner Katalyst Space worked for nearly a year to create something that could boost Swift higher above the atmosphere. The craft, named LINK, launched in July 2026 and was supposed to meet up with Swift, anchor to it, and slowly lift it higher. Unfortunately, LINK experienced altitude-control issues and will likely be unable to save Swift.   The mission isn’t a total loss. NASA will still learn much from this attempt and apply it to future rescue operations.   Until then, there's still more to learn, like how ancient humans may have used lime and blood to preserve art, and whether vitamin D could help with cognitive decline.   So, keep reading, and stay curious!

Monica Cull  Digital Editor

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