A Day in the Life of a NASA Satellite Team

The video tutorial explains the operations of the SWIFT satellite, designed to study gamma ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe. It details the daily routine of planning SWIFT's observations, handling new requests from observatories worldwide, and the communication process with the satellite via the Tetris network. The tutorial concludes with the continuous nature of SWIFT's operations and the human aspect of the team's daily work.

What is the primary purpose of the SWIFT satellite?

• To monitor weather patterns on Earth

• To track the movement of asteroids

• To observe gamma ray bursts

• To study the surface of Mars

How does the SWIFT team decide what the satellite will observe each day?

• By random selection

• Based on requests from the public

• Through a daily planning teleconference

• By following a fixed schedule

What happens when a new astronomical event, like a supernova, is detected?

• The event is logged for future reference

• The satellite automatically adjusts its schedule

• A request is made for SWIFT to observe it

• The SWIFT team ignores it

What network is used to communicate with the SWIFT satellite?

• The Internet

• The Hubble network

• The Tetris network

• The Global Positioning System

What does the SWIFT satellite do after observing a new target?

• It shuts down for maintenance

• It resumes its previous tasks

• It continues observing the new target indefinitely

• It returns to Earth