The NASA Swift space telescope, a gamma-ray observatory launched in 2004, may be visible from Puerto Rico in the coming days as it continues to lose altitude in its orbit around Earth, according to the Sociedad de Astronomía del Caribe (SAC). The telescope, currently located between 400 and 360 kilometers (249 to 225 miles) above Earth, is expected to re-enter the atmosphere and disintegrate by October if no intervention occurs.
To prevent this, NASA has contracted Northrop Grumman to develop a private mission called 'Swift Boost' to extend the telescope's operation. The mission, set to launch on June 27, aims to intercept the telescope, attach to it using robotic arms, and activate a propulsion system to elevate it back to a stable orbit, prolonging its functionality by at least five years.
The SAC reports that the telescope can be observed from Puerto Rico as a moving point of light, similar to other visible satellites, with a predicted brightness of magnitude 1.4, making it visible to the naked eye in clear skies. The telescope's passage is expected to occur between 8:15 p.m. and 8:18 p.m., moving from west to east near the star Spica.