GLAST has shipped
The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope is NASA's next big mission.
The telescope has passed review and has been shipped to Florida where pieces of a Delta-II launcher are being assembled, for, er, launch, May 16th sometime later this year.
GLAST, if successfully launched and operational, will do some very interesting high energy astrophysics, including a large area telescope and a high energy burst monitor
NASA has announced an open competition to name GLAST, after a successful launch, I hope. Wouldn't want to jinx it, not that I'm superstitious or anything. Deadline for nominations is March 31st.
More like this
GLAST has a sky map, first results, pretty pictures and movies, and a new name.
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
Since you asked... GLAST is at the Cape and being readied for launch, I gather.
GLAST launched at noon
"Twinkle, twinkle quasi-star.
Biggest puzzle from afar.
How unlike the other ones.
Brighter than a billion suns.
Twinkle, twinkle, quasi-star.
How I wonder what you are." -George Gamow
How many bottles and which way have you bet on finding evidence of dark matter?
They're taking a cue from their Japanese counterparts. Hinode was Solar-B, Akebono was Exos-D, Nozomi was Planet-B, etc. (the last, a Mars mission, was launched successfully but failed en route).
Some people around here have suggested the Bruce Banner Memorial Gamma-Ray Telescope. Go BBMGRT!
Hm, Banner - I like it, subtle.
I don't suppose NASA will go for the "Villard Telescope", eh?
I have not bet on dark matter, but I might be tempted given a suitable target, modulo Scott's advice to always bet on science, not scientists...
Personally, I think the way to go is "there is no gamma-ray annihilation radiation from cold dark matter in galactic halo cusps" - way overrated.
Re. the Japanese, NASA has been doing this for a while. Compton was
the Gamma-Ray Observatory, Chandra was AXAF, Spitzer was SIRTF, etc.
Although I guess they got cocky with Hubble and now with JWST.
I wonder how Marvel Comics would respond if they called it "The Hulk"?
(It would have to be painted green, of course.)