INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A new telescope will seek out planets that resemble Earth from a height of around 125,000 feet, using special optical technology that will
filter out light from the stars they orbit to provide a better view
The telescope is the product of UMass Lowell, and took off on Tuesday morning from Fort Sumner, New Mexico aboard a helium balloon roughly
the size of an entire football field.
The balloon had to be that big to carry the telescope, which itself weighs around 1,500 lbs, and
measures 14 feet long by 3 feet wide
The so-called &PICTURE-C& telescope will operate at the edge of the Earth atmosphere for a clear view, and it a reusable piece of equipment
that will stay aloft for several hours at a time before being decoupled and making its way back via parachute-assisted descent.
NASA is
funding the project via a $5.6 million, five-year grant for the university, and it&ll return for a follow-up trip next year to capture more
images to assist their research team in their search
The project could result in the discovery of other objects in space beyond Earth-like planets, because it a novel approach to taking a look
at bodies in space that were previously washed out by ambient light from stars.
Photo credit: NASA
