Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is a rapidly repointing, multiwavelength telescope built to detect gamma-ray bursts and study their afterglows. Its Burst Alert Telescope, X-Ray Telescope, and Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope work together to locate transient events and begin follow-up observations within minutes.
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Identity
- Aliases
- SwiftSwift Gamma-Ray Burst ExplorerSwift Gamma-ray Observatory
- Name
- Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
- Status
- active
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is a rapidly repointing, multiwavelength telescope built to detect gamma-ray bursts and study their afterglows. Its Burst Alert Telescope, X-Ray Telescope, and Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope work together to locate transient events and begin follow-up observations within minutes.
- Destination
- Low Earth orbit for rapid multiwavelength detection and follow-up of gamma-ray bursts and other transient cosmic events using gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, and optical telescopes
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- Swift remains an active time-domain observatory after more than two decades. It has localized and characterized gamma-ray bursts, supported rapid international follow-up, and expanded its observing program to supernovae, tidal-disruption events, novae, active galaxies, and other transient sources.
- Programs
- Start Date
- 2004-11-20
- Vehicle Families
Links
- Official Url
- https://science.nasa.gov/mission/swift/
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 18, 2026 at 14:52:46 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 22, 2026 at 13:43:37 UTC
- Image
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Other
- Affiliations
- Search Name
- Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory Swift Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer Swift Gamma-ray Observatory
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles