NASA's Swift telescope is expected to re-enter the atmosphere on Wednesday after a failed rescue attempt, nearly 22 years after launch
NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is expected to re-enter the atmosphere on Wednesday, around 3.30am ET give or take 11 hours, after a failed rescue attempt (The Guardian, New York Post). Most of the 3,200lb spacecraft should burn up, though some dense tungsten parts and mirror pieces may survive.
Our outlet list is not evenly split: about 50% left-rated, 15% centre and 35% right-rated, so raw splits lean left by construction. Blindspots are tested against each side's own share. About our sample.
Left 0 · Centre-left 3 · Centre 1 · Centre-right 2 · Right 1
ContextSources by leanVideoDeep diveFollow the moneyMore coverage
How each side framed it
Left-leaning outlets
Left-rated outlets headline it: “Nasa telescope launched in 2004 to plunge back to Earth after failed rescue mission” (The Guardian); “Aging NASA telescope crashing to Earth after rescue mission fails” (USA Today).
Centre outlets
Centre-rated outlets headline it: “NASA's Swift satellite telescope heads for fiery re-entry 22 years after launch” (Reuters).
Right-leaning outlets
Right-rated outlets headline it: “Massive space telescope to crash to Earth after failed rescue attempt: ‘What goes up must come down’” (New York Post); “An aging NASA space telescope is plunging back to Earth. Officials say the "risk of harm...is unlikely."” (CBS News).
Context
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Sources by lean
Balanced: the same number of articles from the left, the centre and the right (up to 3 each). The bar above still counts every rated outlet we found. Bias and factual ratings come from Media Bias/Fact Check. How we balance · All ratings.
Left 1
Centre 1
- Reuters
NASA's Swift satellite telescope heads for fiery re-entry 22 years after launch (paywall or login)
Showing 1 from each side of 7 rated outlets (L 3 / C 1 / R 3). Capped at 1 because that is all we found on the thinnest side. More coverage
Video
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Deep dive
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Try it: open one left and one right article in Sources by lean and note what each takes for granted.
Follow the money
Not yet researched. We haven't yet looked at who gains or loses financially from this story, or who funds the main voices on each side. When we do, we check company filings, the Electoral Commission donations register, lobbying registers, annual reports, InfluenceMap and OpenSecrets, and we apply the same checks to every side. How we follow the money.
Who owns or funds the outlets covering this story (7 outlets)
| Outlet | Lean | Ownership & funding (MBFC) |
|---|---|---|
| New York Times | Centre-left | The Ochs-Sulzberger family controls the New York Times through Class B shares. Since 1967, the company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYT. Class B shares are those that are held privately. source |
| The Guardian | Centre-left | The Guardian and its companion publication, the Sunday newspaper The Observer, are owned by Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). Scott Trust Limited was created in 1936 to ensure the editorial independence of the publications and owns Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). source |
| USA Today | Centre-left | USA Today is owned by the Gannett Company, headquartered in McLean, Virginia. It is one of the largest newspaper publishers in the United States, with interests in newspapers, digital marketing services companies, and television broadcasting. Subscriptions and advertising generate revenue. source |
| Reuters | Centre | In April 2008, the British company Reuters Group was acquired by Thomson Corporation and formed Thomson Reuters. source |
| CBS News | Centre-right | CBS News is owned by Paramount Global, which was formerly controlled by National Amusements, Inc., the holding company of the Redstone family. In 2025, Paramount entered into a merger agreement with Skydance Media, effectively ending the Redstones’ majority control. CBS News generates revenue primarily through advertising and affiliate broadcasting fees..push({}); source |
| New York Post | Centre-right | The New York Post is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, which owns many conservative/sensational media outlets worldwide. The paper is funded through advertising, subscriptions, and newsstand sales. source |
| Daily Mail | Right | The Daily Mail is published by Associated Newspapers Limited, part of Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT). DMGT is controlled by the Rothermere family and is 100% owned by Rothermere Continuation Limited. Jonathan Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Rothermere, serves as Chairman..push({}); DMGT became privately owned after delisting from the London Stock Exchange in 2022. source |