Name: What it takes to launch a telescope
Uploaded: 2019-05-30T14:44:41Z
Duration: 7 min 8 s
Description: TED Fellow and astronomer Erika Hamden leads the team building FIREBall, a telescope that hangs from a giant balloon at the very edge of space and looks for clues about how stars are created. She takes us inside the roller-coaster, decade-long journey to get the telescope from an idea into orbit -- and shows how failure is inevitable when you're pushing the limits of knowledge.

TED Fellow and astronomer Erika Hamden leads the team building FIREBall, a telescope that hangs from a giant balloon at the very edge of space and looks for clues about how stars are created. She takes us inside the roller-coaster, decade-long journey to get the telescope from an idea into orbit -- and shows how failure is inevitable when you're pushing the limits of knowledge.

Erika Hamden: What it takes to launch a telescope

What it takes to launch a telescope

FIREBall telescope, hanging from a balloon, seeks to illuminate the universe's faintest structures, pushing the limits of our knowledge.

A decade of challenges and failures, from shorted sensors to a falcon attack, underscores the arduous journey of astronomical discovery.

Despite a heartbreaking launch failure, the relentless pursuit of understanding the cosmos exemplifies the spirit of scientific inquiry.