News: NASA is preparing to launch its new space telescope, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer), on February 28, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
About SPHEREx Space Telescope
- The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) is a NASA space telescope designed to study the origins of the universe and map the entire sky in infrared light.
- Aim: To investigate cosmic inflation, the formation of large-scale structures in the universe, and the distribution of water and organic molecules in interstellar clouds and planetary systems.
- Goal: To map the distribution of water and organic molecules in our Milky Way galaxy, which could provide insights into the origins of life.
- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is developing SPHEREx, with a planned launch in 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
- The telescope will operate in a sun-synchronous orbit around Earth, allowing it to observe the sky continuously.
- SPHEREx will conduct a full-sky survey every six months and is expected to complete four full surveys during its mission.
- The telescope will observe the universe in the near-infrared spectrum, covering wavelengths from 0.75 to 5 microns.
- This capability will help scientists understand the large-scale structure of the cosmos, explore how galaxies and stars formed, and analyze the composition of interstellar material.
- SPHEREx complements other space telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Euclid, and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope by providing a unique all-sky survey in infrared light.
- Significance: The data from SPHEREx will contribute to dark energy research, help refine models of cosmic evolution, and support the search for habitable planets.
