The newest major space observatory, the Fermi Gamma-ray Space
Telescope (FGST, formerly GLAST), is working to unveil the
mysteries of the high-energy universe. Launched into orbit on
June 11, FGST studies the most energetic particles of light,
observing physical processes far beyond the capabilities of
earthbound laboratories. FGST's main instrument, the Large Area
Telescope (LAT), operates more like a particle detector than a
conventional telescope. From within its 1.8-meter cube housing,
the LAT uses 880,000 silicon strips to detect high-energy gamma
rays with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity, filling in
gaps in understanding left by previous missions, and pushing new
boundaries in particle physics and astrophysics. The SLAC
National Accelerator Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) laboratory operated by Stanford University, managed the
development of the LAT and integrated the instrument from
hardware fabricated at laboratories around the world. SLAC also
runs the Instrument Science Operat