The Glowbug payload was successfully launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on a Space-X resupply mission on 3/14/23, installed on JEM-EF on 3/19/23, and successfully powered on on 3/20/2023.
Glowbug’s primary science objective is to detect and localize short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs). It will complement missions like the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor, providing additional sky coverage, so short gamma-ray bursts are less likely to be missed, for example if they are behind the Earth for Fermi.
Glowbug is a gamma-ray burst experiment led by Eric Grove (Naval Research Laboratory). Marshall scientists Colleen Wilson-Hodge and Dan Kocevski (ST12) are involved in Glowbug science work with ST12 partners, Adam Goldstein and Bill Cleveland (USRA) leading the science data pipeline. Michael Briggs and Boyan Hristov (UAH) lead the gamma-ray burst alert processing.
Glowbug serves as a technology demonstrator for sensitive, low-cost gamma-ray burst detectors developed at NRL and the MSFC-led Starburst smallsat mission builds on this technology demonstration.
