GLAST, the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, Status and Science Opportunities

The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, GLAST, is a satellite-based experiment under construction to measure the cosmic gamma-ray flux in the energy range 20 MeV to >300 GeV, with supporting measurements for GRBs from 10 keV to 25 MeV. GLAST will open a new and important window on a wide variety of high energy phenomena, including black holes and active galactic nuclei; gamma-ray bursts; supernova remnants; and searches for new phenomena such as supersymmetric dark matter annihilations and exotic relics from the Big Bang. In addition to the science opportunties, this talk will include a brief description of the instruments, the novel collaboration of particle physicists and high energy astrophysicists, and the mission status.