SPACECRAFT HUNTING BLACK HOLES.(MAIN)

Byline: Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The fastest-swiveling space science observatory ever built rocketed into orbit Saturday to scan the universe for violent celestial explosions that astronomers believe represent the birth screams of black holes.

NASA launched the observatory -- named Swift for its speedy pivoting and pointing -- following weeks of delays caused by hurricanes and a three-day postponement due to rocket trouble.

Swift, a $250 million collaboration by NASA, Italy and Britain, should begin its hunt for gamma ray bursts by January and erase some of the mystery surrounding these explosions and black holes.

Gamma ray …