Most powerful telescope ever built blasts off into space

The James Webb Space Telescope, a $9 billion infrared instrument that would allow humanity to look further into the cosmos than ever before, was successfully launched into space on Saturday.

An Ariane 5 heavy rocket with NASA's 7-ton observatory in the cargo bay blasted off from the European Space Agency's launch base in French Guiana at 7:30am EST (12:30 GMT).