Launch of Swift
In-depth details of
the countdown and launch from Spaceflight
Now.
NASA press release
Gamma-Ray Bursts and the unique
capabilities of Swift - Julian Osborne
The UK contribution to Swift -
Alexander Blustin
UK follow-up observations of Gamma-Ray Bursts - Paul O'Brien
Some of the Leicester Swift team at the National Space Centre, shortly before
the launch of Swift.
  
Swift lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on 20th November at
5:16:00.611 pm GMT. The image on the right shows the Solid Rocket Boosters
falling towards the Atlantic Ocean.
(Pictures courtesy of NASA)
XRT First Light - 11th December 2004
  > 
Smiles all round as the XRT Focal Plane Camera door opened successfully at
13.41 GMT on Saturday 11th December. The far-right image shows a screen dump
of the telemetry, including the bellows pressure dropping as the door actuator
opened (middle right of the photograph) and the camera vacuum sensor
indicating a pressure drop inside the camera (just to the left of the bellows plot).
Countdown photographs
The following photos are screen shots from the KSC/NASA TV video feeds. More
photos can be found here.
Waiting for fuelling to begin.
Sunrise 12 pm GMT (7 am EST).
The foot of the rocket at 11.15 am GMT (6.15 am EST).
11 am GMT (6 am EST).
The launch-pad at 8.30 am GMT (3.30 am EST).
Pre-launch photographs
Click on the images below for larger versions. All photos courtesy of NASA unless otherwise
acknowledged. See here for even
more Swift photos.
A Boeing Delta II expendable launch vehicle stands ready to launch the Swift spacecraft.
 
The first (left) and second (right) sections of the fairing are carefully
moved into place by Boeing workers. The fairing
protects the payload during launch and ascent.
Technicians guide the Swift spacecraft as it is lowered onto the Delta II
launch vehicle.
Technicians prepare to cover the spacecraft with plastic before it is moved to
the launchpad.
The base petals of the transportation cannister are checked.
A close-up of the second stage being lifted up the mobile service tower.
This shows the second stage of the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle being lifted
into place, at Cape Canaveral. The Boeing Delta rocket is the launch vehicle
for Swift.
The spacecraft after the final removal of the protective cover.
The protective cover is carefully being removed from the spacecraft.
The Swift spacecraft on-route to Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral.
Multimedia
Searching for Swift videos at the KSC Media Archive produces a list
of NASA Direct web videos, about gamma-ray bursts, the spacecraft and the launch. These can be watched using RealPlayer.
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UK Swift Science Data Centre
Last updated 2010 March 16
Web page maintained by Kim Page ()
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