Swift, a unique multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst (GRB) science, is set to be launched this coming Saturday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in Florida. Launch Time is between 12:10 – 1:10 p.m. EST, with live coverage from 10:30 a.m. EST on NASA TV.
The announcement came Thursday when NASA said was postponing for another 24 hours the launch of the Swift space telescope. The launch originally set for Friday, would be reset to Saturday.
"It was determined that the range command-receiver decoder equipment on the launch vehicle is the likely reason for the voltage variance seen earlier in the week," it said.
"Workers will gain access to the equipment today and replace the necessary parts. The system will be retested on Friday," the space agency added.
Swift is a space telescope designed to study gamma radiation in space. Scientists hope it will provide insights into black holes.
Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, and optical wavebands.
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
