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Universe probe launched

Washington: NASA's new infrared space telescope, strapped to a Delta II rocket, soared into the sky over Florida early on Monday on a mission to peek into the corners of the Universe and unveil objects that have eluded existing observatories, officials said. ``Lift-off of the Delta II rocket with SIRTF, seeking hidden secrets of the evolution of our Universe,'' a launch official exclaimed as the rocket blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Boeing Delta II Heavy rocket lifted off exactly on schedule at 1:35 a.m. (local time) and reached orbit, at 89.99 nautical miles, NASA officials said. Researchers plan to use the telescope to hunt for distant planets orbiting stars considered possible homes to an environment, where life could have developed.

— AFP

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