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Faculty Hires Build Penn State's Reputation in Space Science, Leading to $35-million Share of Swift Project

2 August 2005—Two decades of program building and research are the foundation for Penn State's selection as the major university partner for the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Observatory. In 1980, astrophysicist Gordon Garmire, now Evan Pugh Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, came to Penn State from Cal Tech. One year later, he was joined by John Nousek, and two years after that they were joined by David Burrows. The three astrophysicists worked together with other Penn State scientists to write a proposal that was selected for funding by NASA to build an X-ray camera, the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS), for NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, an astronomy satellite whose cost is in the range of $1 billion. Chandra's ACIS X-ray detector was conceived and developed for NASA by Penn State and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the leadership of Gordon Garmire, whose team devoted 15 years to building and launching the space telescope.

During this time, David Burrows led an additional effort to build the X-ray detector for another space observatory named CUBIC. He also led an extensive sounding-rocket program that contributed to Penn State's accumulation of crucial X-ray expertise. As a result of their accumulated knowledge and expertise in building space telescopes, John Nousek and David Burrows were invited in 1997 to join a team of NASA scientists to prepare a proposal to build, launch, and operate the Swift Gamma Ray Burst Observatory. John Nousek and Dave Burrows then met with Executive Vice President and Provost Rodney Erickson to request Penn State's support for the Swift project in the form of Penn State facilities and matching funds. Provost Erickson agreed.

After an extremely competitive and rigorous review of over 51 competing proposals for a variety of space-science projects, NASA selected the Swift project for funding in 1999. Swift was launched into Earth orbit in November 2004 and began producing new scientific discoveries even before it was fully operational. This highly successful project involves a large team of scientists and engineers in six countries and is worth over $250 million including international contributions--$35 million of which is being spent at Penn State. Penn State controls science and flight operations for Swift from the Mission Operations Center in University Park under the direction of Penn State astrophysicist John Nousek. Penn State's Peter Meszaros, now Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Astronomy and Astrophysics, is the leader of the Swift Science Team. Two of Swift's three detectors were designed and built and are being operated under the leadership of Penn State astrophysicists David Burrows and Peter Roming. The size of the Swift team working at Penn State has ranged from 30 to 50 students, scientists, engineers, technicians, and other staff members.

SOME RESEARCH BENEFITS:
Gamma-ray bursts have been one of the leading mysteries of astrophysics for the past 30 years. Swift is helping to solve the mystery by providing the fastest detailed images in multiple wavelengths of the sources of gamma-ray bursts and is pinpointing their locations in the sky. Swift is expected to discover two new gamma-ray sources every week during its three-year mission. Swift also is supporting other space-science projects, including the recent impact of Comet Tempel 1.

SOME EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS:
In addition to providing rich learning opportunities for Penn State students, the Swift project at Penn State includes an education and public-outreach program that produces educational materials about gamma ray bursts and other astronomical events to be used in television and web broadcasts for the general public and in curriculum aids to be used by school teachers and students.

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