Nasa sky survey probe blasts off (BBC) {WISE}

eppur_se_muova

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Tue Dec-15-09 03:07 AM
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Nasa sky survey probe blasts off (BBC) {WISE}

A Nasa satellite designed to uncover hidden cosmic objects has blasted off from California.

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (Wise) blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base on a Delta II rocket just after 1409 GMT.

It will pick up the glow of hundreds of millions of astronomical bodies.

The probe is expected to uncover objects that have never seen before, including some of the coolest stars and the most luminous galaxies.

The $320m mission will do this by scanning the entire sky in infrared light with a sensitivity hundreds of times greater than ever before.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8412327.stm

A planned launch on Friday was delayed by equipment problems.

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