The Swift gamma-ray burst mission is a NASA Mid-size Explorer (MIDEX) program to detect and provide data on Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), which occur approximately once per day and are brief, but intense, flashes of gamma radiation. From low-earth orbit, Swift detects gamma-ray burst events and "swiftly" slews itself within tens of seconds to focus directly on the event with multi-wavelength instruments to provide accurate burst location and scientific data.
The main mission objectives for Swift are to:
Determine the origin of gamma-ray bursts
Classify gamma-ray bursts and search for new types
Determine how the blastwave evolves and interacts with the surroundings
Use gamma-ray bursts to study the early universe
Perform the first sensitive hard X-ray survey of the sky
General Dynamics AIS (acquired by Orbital in April 2010) designed and manufactured the fully-redundant Swift spacecraft based on its SA-200HP bus design and led the instrument integration efforts at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). GD AIS also supported environmental testing, launch vehicle integration and launch, and early orbit check-out activities, provided 30 days of mission operations and two years of sustaining engineering.
Performance:
Orbit: 600 km circular, 20.6° inclination
Launch mass: 1467 kg
Solar Arrays: 2132 W, articulated
Redundancy: Single String
Stabilization: 3-axis
Mission Life: 2 year, 60-month goal
