Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
Fermi's Decade of Gamma-ray Discoveries
Fermi's Decade of Gamma-ray Discoveries

What is Fermi?

General Dynamics C4 Systems - Artist Concept of Fermi The Universe is home to numerous exotic and beautiful phenomena, some of which can generate almost inconceivable amounts of energy. Supermassive black holes, merging neutron stars, streams of hot gas moving close to the speed of light ... these are but a few of the marvels that generate gamma-ray radiation, the most energetic form of radiation, billions of times more energetic than the type of light visible to our eyes. What is happening to produce this much energy? What happens to the surrounding environment near these phenomena? How will studying these energetic objects add to our understanding of the very nature of the Universe and how it behaves?

The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, formerly GLAST, is opening this high-energy world to exploration and helping us answer these questions. With Fermi, astronomers at long last have a superior tool to study how black holes, notorious for pulling matter in, can accelerate jets of gas outward at fantastic speeds. Physicists are able to study subatomic particles at energies far greater than those seen in ground-based particle accelerators. And cosmologists are gaining valuable information about the birth and early evolution of the Universe.

For this unique endeavor, one that brings together the astrophysics and particle physics communities, NASA has teamed up with the U.S. Department of Energy and institutions in France, Germany, Japan, Italy and Sweden. General Dynamics was chosen to build the spacecraft. Fermi was launched June 11, 2008 at 12:05 pm EDT.

Latest News

NASA's Fermi Captures Dynamic Gamma-Ray Sky in New Animation

Mar 15, 2023

Cosmic fireworks, invisible to our eyes, fill the night sky. We can get a glimpse of this elusive light show thanks to the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, which observes the sky in gamma rays, the highest-energy form of light.
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Feb 9, 2023

Reminder: Fermi Cycle-16 Proposals Are Due in One Week

We wish to remind you that Fermi Cycle-16 Guest Investigator proposals are due on February 16, 2023, just a week from now. Please refer to our proposers web page for an up-to-date description of the program, submission details and schedule.

Jan 26, 2023

NASA's Fermi Detects First Gamma-Ray Eclipses From 'Spider' Star Systems

Scientists have discovered the first gamma-ray eclipses from a special type of binary star system using data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. These so-called spider systems each contain a pulsar - the superdense, rapidly rotating remains of a star that exploded in a supernova - that slowly erodes its companion.
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