Swift

Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory

active Mission

NASA’s Swift observatory is a satellite that studies gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe, and other cosmic objects and events. Swift houses three multiwavelength telescopes, collecting data in visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray light.

Type

Space observatory

Launch

Nov. 20, 2004

Wavelength

Multiwavelength

Status

Extended mission

NASA's Swift has been on the hunt to uncover the mystery of the universe’s most powerful explosions: gamma-ray bursts. These extreme events are some of the farthest objects we’ve ever detected and are associated with some of the most dramatic events in our cosmos, like the collapse of massive stars or the mergers of two neutron stars. In celebration of fifteen years of excellent science, join a Swift team member for a day in the life of the Swift satellite.