Rocket-borne telescope

Data from air-, balloon-, and rocket-borne telescopes have helped to define the spectral distribution, luminosity, and energy balance of these extragalactic sources, thereby providing information fundamental to solving the two problems listed above. 

At this time only three extragalactic sources have been measured in the infrared using air-, balloon-, or rocket-borne telescopes. They are NGC 1068, M 82, and NGC 253. These three are not the only galaxies observed, and upper limits have been established for 7 others. 

The air renders us insensitive to radiation from space, some forms of which are lethal, rather like a skin-protecting cream. At the same time it acts as a censor with regard to the astronomical information carried by that radiation. There is no choice therefore but to break out from the cocoon, to rise above the atmosphere by means of stratospheric balloons, rockets and satellites. With its airborne and space-borne telescopes, the whole planet Earth is turned towards the Universe, its eye emerging from the air like a bather from the sea. However, the sky is... 

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