Image: The DEUCE payload undergoing testing and integration at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, US.Photo: courtesy of Nicholas Erickson via Nasa.

Nasa’s Dual-channel Extreme Ultraviolet Continuum Experiment (DEUCE), which was launched to study the dark voids in between stars and galaxies that fill the night sky, has failed to collect any scientific data because of a technical issue.

The mission was launched onboard Black Brant IX sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, US.

According to Nasa, a possible issue with the attitude control system of the rocket has prevented the probe to succeed in its mission.

“The Sounding Rocket Programme Office is investigating the anomaly.”

In a statement, Nasa said: “The Black Brant IX sounding rocket performed nominally. However, scientific data was not obtained because of a possible issue with the attitude control system.

“The payload descended by parachute and was recovered. The Sounding Rocket Programme Office is investigating the anomaly.”

The rocket was designed to complete a 15min flight and was equipped with special ultraviolet optics, which are expected to study the nature of intergalactic medium (IGM), the cold and diffuse gas between galaxies that hardly emits any light.

DEUCE was also expected to measure starlight from a pair of neighbouring hot stars in the Canis Major constellation, with an intention to help researchers understand how the IGM reached its current state.

Apart from providing scientific data, the mission was designed to test the readiness of a large UV detector, including microchannel plate for future large-scale space missions.