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Nasa`s new telescope to peek into universe`s distant past
Washington, Aug 23: A new infrared space telescope, which Nasa plans to launch on Monday, will allow astronomers to peek into the dusty corners of the universe and see for the first time objects that have eluded existing observatories.
Washington, Aug 23: A new infrared space telescope, which Nasa plans to launch on Monday, will allow astronomers to peek into the dusty corners of the universe and see for the first time objects that have eluded existing observatories.
The launch of Space Infrared Telescope Facility
(SIRTF) was originally set for April, but was repeatedly
postponed because of technical problems.
The telescope is now scheduled for launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1:35 am (1105 IST) Monday, strapped to a Boeing Delta II rocket.
The 1.2 billion dollar project complements Nasa's existing stable of super-powered telescopes orbiting the earth: The Hubble space telescope, the Chandra X-Ray observatory and the Compton gamma ray observatory.
The National Aeronautic and Space Administration calls its latest creation Hubble's infrared cousin.
Researchers plan to use the telescope to hunt for distant planets and other objects orbiting stars considered possible homes to an earth-like environment, where life could have developed.
"With this mission, we will see the universe as it was billions of years ago, helping us pinpoint how and when the first objects formed, as well as their composition," said Anne Kinney, director of the astronomy and physics division at Nasa headquarters in Washington. Bureau Report
The telescope is now scheduled for launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1:35 am (1105 IST) Monday, strapped to a Boeing Delta II rocket.
The 1.2 billion dollar project complements Nasa's existing stable of super-powered telescopes orbiting the earth: The Hubble space telescope, the Chandra X-Ray observatory and the Compton gamma ray observatory.
The National Aeronautic and Space Administration calls its latest creation Hubble's infrared cousin.
Researchers plan to use the telescope to hunt for distant planets and other objects orbiting stars considered possible homes to an earth-like environment, where life could have developed.
"With this mission, we will see the universe as it was billions of years ago, helping us pinpoint how and when the first objects formed, as well as their composition," said Anne Kinney, director of the astronomy and physics division at Nasa headquarters in Washington. Bureau Report