Five experiments on a Maser rocket were launched from northern Sweden today. Faster than most people take a coffee break, Maser-12 travelled 250 km upwards, provided six precious minutes of microgravity, and landed safely back on Earth. Launched at 09:30 GMT on 13 February, it took only 45 seconds for the 'sounding rocket' to leave the atmosphere. Once it ran out of propellant, the mission had only just begun for the scientists watching on the ground. Read more