Science Info
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is an international and multi-agency space mission that will study the cosmos in the energy range 10 keV - 300 GeV. Several successful exploratory missions in gamma-ray astronomy led to the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) instrument on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO). Launched in 1991, EGRET made the first complete survey of the sky in the 30 MeV - 10 GeV range. EGRET showed the high-energy gamma-ray sky to be surprisingly dynamic and diverse, with sources ranging from the sun and moon to massive black holes at large redshifts. Most of the gamma-ray sources detected by EGRET remain unidentified. In light of the discoveries with EGRET, the great potential of the next generation gamma-ray telescope can be appreciated.
Mission Objectives
- Explore the most extreme environments in the Universe, where nature harnesses energies far beyond anything possible on Earth.
- Search for signs of new laws of physics and what composes the mysterious Dark Matter.
- Explain how black holes accelerate immense jets of material to nearly light speed.
- Help crack the mysteries of the stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts.
- Answer long-standing questions across a broad range of topics, including solar flares, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays.
As part of the Fermi mission, four interdisciplinary scientists (IDS) were chosen whose scientific interests Fermi observations will impact significantly. They are: Charles Dermer, Brenda Dingus, Martin Pohl, and Stephen Thorsett.
The Fermi science team strongly supports Multiwavelength Observations as a way to obtain the best science with the mission.
- Mission Parameters
- LAT Specifications and Performance Compared with EGRET
- GBM Specifications and Performance Compared with BATSE
» Year 1 Operations Timeline Overview (PDF)
» Science Requirements Document (PDF)
» Science Fact Sheet (PDF)
» LAT Speakers Bureau Home Page
» GSSC Library - Papers, Publications, Presentations, Posters, Etc.
- Special Session Talks and GLAST Posters From the HEAD Meeting 2006
- LAT Collaboration Meeting, September 15-17, 2003
- LAT Collaboration Meeting, October 22-25, 2002
- LAT Collaboration Meeting, March 20-22, 2000
» GLAST Poster at the January AAS (Steve Ritz, et al., January 10, 2004) - PDF or PowerPoint
» GLAST Simulations: Virgo Region | Galactic Anticenter | All Sky
» GAMMA 2001 - Presentations and Posters (April 4-6, 2001)
» GLAST Science Brochure (March 2001) -- For Print (8 MB) | For the Web (780 K)
» Announcement of Opportunity (AO)
» The AO Science Requirements Document
» Gamma Ray Astronomy Program Working Group (GRAPWG) Report: June 1999 and April 1997
» GLAST Facility Science Team - No longer active