NASA launches its newest telescope to create the most colourful and detailed map of the universe

NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope Launched to Study Universe’s Origins. (Image: NASA)

A NASA telescope has begun its journey to explore space. The SPHEREx telescope launched from California on Tuesday. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried it from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The mission will last two years and study cosmic history.

SPHEREx, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionisation and Ices Explorer, has a big task. It will collect data on over 450 million galaxies. It will also observe 100 million stars in the Milky Way. Scientists hope to learn more about how galaxies formed and evolved.

We have liftoff!PUNCH and SPHEREx are taking a carpool to space (aboard a @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket) after launching from @SLDelta30 at 11:10 pm ET (0310 UTC). pic.twitter.com/J8KpQlg8iZ
NASA (@NASA) March 12, 2025

Searching for Cosmic Clues
One major goal is to understand cosmic inflation. This refers to the universe's rapid expansion after the Big Bang. Scientists believe the universe grew at an extreme rate in a fraction of a second. SPHEREx will search for traces of this event.

Phil Korngut, an instrument scientist at Caltech, explained the mission. “SPHEREx is trying to understand what happened just after the Big Bang,” he said. The telescope will take images in all directions. It will split light from stars and galaxies into individual wavelengths. This will help scientists determine their composition and distance.

Hidden Water in Space
SPHEREx will also look for water in space. It will scan for frozen water on interstellar dust grains. These grains exist in massive clouds of gas and dust. They play a key role in forming stars and planets.

The telescope will also search for frozen carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. These molecules could help explain how water forms in space. Scientists believe such icy reservoirs may be where most of the universe’s water exists.

PUNCH Satellites Launched Alongside
Along with SPHEREx, NASA launched another mission. The PUNCH satellites will study the solar wind. This is the constant flow of charged particles from the sun.

The mission consists of four small satellites. They will observe how the sun’s atmosphere transitions into the solar wind. This could help scientists understand space weather. Such events can affect satellites and cause power disruptions on Earth.

Nicholeen Viall, a scientist at NASA, explained their role. “Together, they create a 3D view of the sun’s atmosphere,” she said. The data could improve predictions of solar storms and their effects.

With SPHEREx and PUNCH now in space, scientists look forward to new discoveries. These missions may provide deeper insights into the universe and our own solar system.