KSC-04pd-2241
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At NASA’s Hangar AE on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Fla., preparations are underway to enclose the Swift spacecraft in a canister before moving it to the launch pad. The base petals are lined up around the work stand before attaching them to the payload attach fitting on the Swift spacecraft. Swift is a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst (GRB) science. Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavebands. Swift is expected to observe more than 200 gamma-ray bursts - the most comprehensive study of GRB afterglows to date - during its 2-year mission. Swift is scheduled to launch in mid-November from Launch Pad 17-A at CCAFS.
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NASA ID
04pd2241
Date Created
November 4, 2004
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Photographer
NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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