Russia launches space telescope

Russia launched a space telescope Saturday from the cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, a joint project with Germany intended to replace one it lost in January. The Russian space agency, showed a Proton-M rocket carrying the Spektr-RG taking off from the launch pad at Baikonur. The Spektr-RG, developed with Germany, is a space observatory intended to replace the Spektr-R, known as the "Russian Hubble", which lost control of in January. Spektr-R was launched in 2011 to observe black holes, neutron stars and magnetic fields.

Its successor will take up similar duties but will also work on completing the map of the world, said the Russian space agency. Since 2011, Russia has been the only country capable sending teams to the International Space Station (ISS). The next launch to the ISS is scheduled for July 20 and will carry an Italian and US astronauts together with a Russian cosmonaut.