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February
8, 2008: Would you like to name the next great space
telescope? Here's your chance:
NASA
is inviting members of the general public from around the
world to suggest a new name for the Gamma-ray Large Area Space
Telescope, otherwise known as GLAST, before it launches in
mid-2008. GLAST is designed to probe the most violent
events and exotic objects in the cosmos from gamma-ray
bursts to black holes and beyond.
"We're
looking for suggestions
that will capture the excitement of GLAST's mission and call
attention to gamma-ray and high-energy astronomy," says
Alan Stern, associate administrator for Science at NASA Headquarters
in Washington DC. "We hope someone will come up with
a name that is catchy, easy to say and will help make the
satellite and its mission a topic of dinner table and classroom
discussion."
The
telescope's key scientific objectives include:
- Exploring
the most extreme environments in the Universe, where nature
harnesses energies far beyond anything possible on Earth
- Searching
for signs of new laws of physics and what composes the mysterious
dark matter
- Understanding
how black holes accelerate immense jets of material to nearly
light speed
- Cracking
the mysteries of stupendously powerful explosions known
as gamma-ray bursts
- Answering
long-standing questions about solar flares, pulsars and
the origin of cosmic rays
Suggestions
for the mission's new name may be an acronym, but that is not
a requirement. Any suggestions for naming the telescope after
a scientist may only include names of deceased scientists whose
names are not already used for other NASA missions. All suggestions
will be considered. The period for accepting names closes on
March 31, 2008. Participants must include a statement of 25
words or less about why their suggestion would be a strong name
for the mission. Multiple suggestions are encouraged.
To
submit a suggestion for the mission name, visit: http://glast.sonoma.edu/glastname
Anyone
who drops a name into the "Name That Satellite!"
suggestion box on the Web page can choose to receive a "Certificate
of Participation" via return e-mail. Participants also
may choose to receive the NASA press release announcing the
new mission name. The announcement is expected approximately
60 days after launch of the telescope.
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Production Editor:
Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASA
| more
information |
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GLAST
-- mission home page
A
Violent History of Time -- (Science@NASA) GLAST
may solve the mystery of mind-boggling explosions known
as gamma-ray bursts
NASA's
GLAST mission is an astrophysics and particle physics
partnership, developed in collaboration with the U.S.
Department of Energy, along with important contributions
from academic institutions and partners in France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Sweden, and the U.S.
NASA's
Future: The
Vision for Space Exploration |
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