SWIFT is MIDEX-NASA class mission, targeted at high-energy astrophysics and designed in cooperation with Italy and United Kingdom. Swift is a multi-band observatory which follows the experience acquired with the BeppoSAX satellite. It was successfully launched on November 20th, 2004 and all the on-board instruments worked immediately and regularly, producing data of high scientific quality.

So far hundreds of scientific works were published in peer referee journals, among which several articles announcing important discoveries in the prestigious Nature and Science journals. The scientific excellence of the results was recognised in 2007, when the scientific team who took part in the mission was awarded with the Bruno Rossi award by the American Astronomical Society.

Swift is a space observatory capable of observing, quickly and independently, explosive sources such as Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB) and other transient celestial events, by using its three on-board instruments: the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), the X-Ray Telescope (XRT) and the Ultra Violet/Optical Telescope (UVOT).

From a scientific point of view, Swift aims at finding the origin of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB), using them to study the distant Universe and carrying out a survey of the celestial sphere in the 15-100 keV band with the BAT instrument.

Italy contributes to the Swift project by providing the following instruments: mirror of XRT telescope and its calibration, the Malindi base and ASI-NET, scientific software and archive at the ASDC. The Italian scientific teams participate very actively in the scientific activities of the mission.

‣ News

THURSDAY 31 AUGUST 2023

The catalogue of PRISMA acquisitions is now freely available on GEOSS portal ‣

The catalogue data is updated daily MORE...

SATURDAY 01 JULY 2023

EUROPE’S EUCLID MISSION LIFTS OFF ‣

The successful launch of the satellite marks the beginning of a mission designed to observe billions of galaxies and uncover the nature of dark matter and dark energy. Italy's decisive contribution to Euclid was made possible through the effort and expertise of the Italian Space Agency, the National Institute of Astrophysics and the National Institute of Nuclear Physics MORE...

WEDNESDAY 14 JUNE 2023

Teodoro Valente is the new president of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) ‣

Following the appointment of its new president, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) has also designated a new Board of Directors MORE...

FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2022

THE PARTICIPATION OF THE ITALIAN SPACE AGENCY IN THE 73RD INTERNATIONAL ASTRONAUTICAL CONGRESS IN PARIS ‣

The space showcase par excellence takes place in Paris from September 18th to September 22nd, 2022, and precedes the next European edition, which will take place in Italy with IAC Milan 2024, organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and hosted by the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIDAA), the ASI and Leonardo

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WEDNESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2022

SAMANTHA CRISTOFORETTI WILL BE THE COMMANDER OF THE ISS ‣

AstroSamantha will become the first European astronaut in command of the International Space Station MORE...