Overview

• The Euclid space telescope is undergoing a de-icing procedure to remove thin layers of water ice that are impeding its ability to take highly accurate measurements.
• Ice formation on space telescopes like Euclid is common due to small amounts of water that enter the telescope from the air during construction on Earth.
• The de-icing process involves careful heating of the telescope's components to avoid impacting its thermo-optical stability, essential for its mission to map the universe.
• The ESA is experimenting with partial warming of the telescope's mirrors as a minimally invasive approach to melting the ice without disrupting its mission.
• Despite the challenges, scientists are optimistic about successfully completing the de-icing process and continuing Euclid's mission to explore the dark universe.