Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) mission

The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) mission is a scientific spaceflight investigation that measures the direction, energy and arrival time of celestial gamma rays. It is planned for launch in September 2005. The scientific applications include determining the structure of high-energy astrophysical processes such as those found in active galactic nuclei, black holes, and supernovae. Several other natural phenomena in the universe will be investigated. One of the most exciting aspects of the GLAST mission is its potential for new discovery. There are two instruments on the GLAST Observatory: the Large Area Telescope (LAT), a joint development of NASA and DOE, and the GLAST Burst Monitor (GBM). Both instruments have international collaborators. The spacecraft will be a modified version of an existing design. Challenging aspects will be handling the large mass and the tight pointing knowledge requirements. The launch vehicle, ground system elements, and data flow are also described.