Welcome to Swift's 20th Anniversary Website!

NASA's Swift Observatory was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17A on November 20, 2004 into low-Earth orbit. In January 2018, NASA renamed the mission following the untimely passing of Swift's original Principal Investigator, Neil Gehrels. Today, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory continues to make scientific discoveries that go far beyond its original mission – to "catch gamma-ray bursts on the fly." Named for the bird which catches its prey while in flight, the Swift satellite's ability to quickly repoint its telescopes has been essential to its scientific success. Many of Swift's most important scientific results have utilized more than one band in the electromagnetic spectrum, as the satellite itself has three coaligned telescopes covering different energy bands. Other important discoveries have been shared with other NASA satellites and with ground-based observatories. This website celebrates the 20 th anniversary of the launch of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, sharing memories of the early days while highlighting important scientific advances and promising future possibilities.