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Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
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<p>Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, previously called the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer, is a <a href="/facts/NASA/TIMCV0yV">NASA</a> three-telescope <a href="/facts/Space_observatory/BtI46sDX">space observatory</a> for studying <a href="/facts/Gamma-ray_burst/oRRU6Fhn">gamma-ray bursts</a> (GRBs) and monitoring the afterglow in X-ray, and UV/visible light at the location of a burst. It was launched on 20 November 2004, aboard a <a href="/facts/Delta_II/GoBa3Qch">Delta II</a> <a href="/facts/Launch_vehicle/g1GCGFJB">launch vehicle</a>. Headed by <a href="/facts/Principal_investigator/GXE6ILvW">principal investigator</a> <a href="/facts/Neil_Gehrels/1UK7tJ0I">Neil Gehrels</a> until his death in February 2017, the mission was developed in a joint partnership between <a href="/facts/Goddard_Space_Flight_Center/WfoEKknM">Goddard Space Flight Center</a> (GSFC) and an international consortium from the United States, United Kingdom, and Italy. The mission is operated by <a href="/facts/Pennsylvania_State_University/WMQagtjM">Pennsylvania State University</a> as part of NASA's <a href="/facts/Explorer_program/UAWJXqxP">Medium Explorer program</a> (MIDEX). </p><p>The burst detection rate is 100 per year, with a sensitivity ~3 times fainter than the BATSE detector aboard the <a href="/facts/Compton_Gamma_Ray_Observatory/XrhShxVh">Compton Gamma Ray Observatory</a>. The Swift mission was launched with a nominal on-orbit lifetime of two years. Swift is a NASA MIDEX (medium-class Explorer) mission. It was the third to be launched, following <a href="/facts/IMAGE_(spacecraft)/fY9DudpT">IMAGE</a> and <a href="/facts/Wilkinson_Microwave_Anisotropy_Probe/UUJWfy0U">WMAP</a>. </p><p>While originally designed for the study of gamma-ray bursts, Swift now functions as a general-purpose multi-wavelength observatory, particularly for the rapid followup and characterization of astrophysical transients of all types. As of 2020, Swift received 5.5 Target of Opportunity observing proposals per day, and observes ~70 targets per day, on average. </p>