MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st July, 2023) SpaceX carrier rocket Falcon 9 launched the Euclid space telescope of the European Space Agency (ESA) from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Saturday with the view to studying dark matter and creating the most detailed 3D map of the universe, Elon Musk's space company said.
The launch took place at 15:11 GMT, a few minutes later the company reported the landing of the first stage rocket and about 40 minutes later confirmed the launch of the telescope into orbit.
"The European spacecraft will spend six years uncovering the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy," SpaceX said.
The Euclid telescope was previously expected to be launched on board Russia's Soyuz ST launch vehicle from the EU's spaceport in Kourou, in French Guiana in late 2022, but the ESA later decided to conduct the launch with an American company after ceasing cooperation with Roscosmos.
EU countries imposed sanctions on Russian space companies after Russia began a special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. In response, Russian state space corporation Roscosmos announced the termination of cooperation in organizing launches from the Guiana Space Center.
