Intro music.
NASA's unique mission Swift, developed to study gamma-ray bursts, is a study in successful international partnership.
A well-choreographed melding of worldwide technology and talent brings together many nations and universities for a common purpose.
For example the University of Leicester provided the key system designs for the X-Ray Telescope and hosts the UK Swift Science Data Centre.
The University of London's Mullard Space Science Laboratory,
together with Pennsylvania State University have built the UltraViolet Optical Telescope for Swift.
"Well, UVOT will provide the ultraviolet, and the optical
measurements of the energy that's coming out of the gamma-ray bursts
so it compliments the measurements from the X-Ray and the gamma-ray instruments on Swift.
It will also give the very early measurements the first instance of the explosion because
the Swift satellite will swivel to insure that the instrument can see the burst in the optical
and ultraviolet and that's been very difficult to do from the ground --
to capture those very early instances that are important in the understanding of
how the whole gamma-ray burst explosion takes place."
Through the Italian Space Agency, Swift has been provided with hardware, software and technical expertise.
"With all its scientific instruments at work,
Swift will enter a phase of calibration and scientific verification of its performances.
This is a crucial phase during which scientists will be, via the instruments,
learn how the satellite responds to well-known astrophysical sources."
Penn State's Flight Operation Team will operate the Swift spacecraft and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center manages the Swift mission.