The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory

Media Briefing On NASA's Newest Gamma-Ray Burst Mission Scheduled

Donald Savage
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1727)

Nancy Neal
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone: 301/286-0039)

Oct. 25, 2004

NOTE TO EDITORS: M04-169

Media Briefing On NASA's Newest Gamma-Ray Burst Mission Scheduled

NASA's Swift satellite, which will pinpoint the location of gamma-ray burst explosions in the Universe, will be the subject of a news briefing Monday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. EST. The briefing will originate from the James Webb auditorium at NASA Headquarters in Washington, and will be broadcast live on NASA TV.

Swift is scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., at 12:05 p.m. EST, Nov. 11, aboard a Delta II launch vehicle.

Panelists will discuss the Swift mission and the specific scientific goals:

- Al Diaz, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Dr. Anne Kinney, Director, Universe Division, NASA Headquarters
- Tim Gehringer, Swift deputy project manager, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
- Dr. Neil Gehrels, Swift principal investigator, Goddard Space Flight Center
- Dr. John Nousek, Mission Operations Director, Penn State University, University Park, Pa.

NASA TV is available on the Web and via satellite in the continental U.S. on AMC-6, Transponder 9C, C-Band, at 72 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. In Alaska and Hawaii, NASA TV is available on AMC-7, Transponder 18C, C-Band, at 137 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 4060.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.

For NASA TV information and schedules on the Internet, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv