Abstract
Swift is a first‐of‐its‐kind multiwavelength transient observatory for gamma‐ray burst astronomy. It has the optimum capabilities for the next breakthroughs in determining the origin of gamma‐ray bursts and their afterglows, as well as using bursts to probe the early Universe. Swift will also perform the first sensitive hard X‐ray survey of the sky. The mission is being developed by an international collaboration and consists of three instruments, the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), the X‐ray Telescope (XRT), and the Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope (UVOT). The BAT, a wide‐field gamma‐ray detector, will detect 3–7 gamma‐ray bursts per week with a sensitivity 5 times that of BATSE. The sensitive narrow‐field XRT and UVOT will be autonomously slewed to the burst location in 20 to 70 seconds to determine 0.3–5.0 arcsec positions and perform optical, UV, and X‐ray spectrophotometry. Strong education/public outreach and follow‐up programs will help to engage the public and astronomical community. The Swift launch is planned for September 2003.
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