NASA launches X-ray telescope over Pacific

This image provided by NASA shows an artist rendering of the space agency's latest X-ray telescope. NuStar is set to launch on a two-year mission on Wednesday June 13,2012 from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific to study black holes and other celestial objects. (AP Photo/NASA)

This image provided by NASA shows an artist rendering of the space agency's latest X-ray telescope. NuStar is set to launch on a two-year mission on Wednesday June 13,2012 from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific to study black holes and other celestial objects. (AP Photo/NASA)

In this undated image provided by NASA the Orbital Science Corporation's "Stargazer" plane is shown releasing its Pegasus rocket. NASA's NuSTAR will also launch from a Pegasus carried by the Stargazer plane. NASA's NuSTAR mission is scheduled to launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean on June 13, 2012 no earlier than 8:30 a.m. PDT (11:30 a.m. EDT). The observatory, which will hunt for black holes and other exotic objects using specialized X-ray eyes, will be launched from a Pegasus XL rocket carried by an Orbital Science Corporation L-1011 "Stargazer" plane. (AP Photo/Orbital Science Corporation via NASA)

This undated photo provided by NASA shows the Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus XL rocket with the NuSTAR spacecraft after attachment to the L-1011 carrier aircraft known as "Stargazer." The Pegasus will launch NuSTAR into space, Wednesday June 13, 2012 where the high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and extreme physics around collapsed stars. (AP Photo/NASA, Randy Beaudoin)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? NASA has a new X-ray eye in the sky.

The space agency's latest X-ray telescope was boosted into orbit Wednesday to begin a two-year mission to search for black holes and other hard-to-see celestial objects.

The telescope was launched by a rocket released from a carrier aircraft that took off from a remote Pacific island.

The rocket ignited its engines and climbed to space. About 15 minutes later, the telescope separated from the rocket as planned and unfurled its solar panels as it orbited about 350 miles above the Earth.

NASA chose to air-launch the $170 million mission because it's cheaper than rocketing off from a launch pad.

Associated Press

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