At 22:11 on July 1st , the Euclid space telescope was successfully launched into a low Earth orbit, marking a significant mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) to map the “dark universe.”
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Euclid space observatory takes off from Space Launch Complex 40, Florida, USA on July 1st (Image: SpaceX).
The launch took place at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was used to propel Euclid into space.
According to ESA, Euclid is their latest space-based telescope. It has been specifically designed to search for invisible dark matter and dark energy, which are believed to exist in some form throughout the universe but have not been observable by humans until now.
Astronomers believe that understanding the behavior of these forms of matter can provide invaluable knowledge about the cosmic structure formation, the expansion of the universe, and the motion of individual stars, all of which are influenced by dark energy and dark matter.
Illustration of the Euclid space telescope operating in space (Image: ESA, CC BY-SA).
Carole Mundell, the ESA’s Director of Science and mission supervisor, stated, “Euclid will cast its gaze beyond the Milky Way, our own galaxy, to map.”
Euclid accomplishes this with the help of two accompanying instruments that can detect visible and infrared light wavelengths, thereby revealing the motion of these distant objects.
From space, Euclid’s “sharp” lens will provide images that are at least four times clearer than those obtained by ground-based telescopes, thanks to its distance from Earth’s atmospheric disturbances.
The Euclid astronomical telescope is valued at approximately $1.5 billion and has been under research and development for nearly two decades. According to ESA, it will take Euclid around 30 days to reach its deep-space destination, where it will be stationed and operational for the anticipated 6-year mission duration.