NASA to launch SPHEREx observatory by early 2025 to explore the universe’s past and origins

NASA’s SPHEREx space observatory was photographed at BAE Systems in Boulder, Colorado, in November 2024 after completing environmental testing. (Image: NASA)

NASA is gearing up for an exciting new mission. Its SPHEREx observatory is set to launch in February 2025. The mission aims to uncover secrets of the universe's past.

SPHEREx: Unveiling the cosmos in vivid detail
Short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, SPHEREx will orbit Earth after launch. Aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, it will take off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

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The observatory is about the size of a small car. It will scan the sky in 3D, creating an all-sky map. The map will include hundreds of millions of galaxies and stars. SPHEREx will capture images in 102 unique wavelengths of light.

Mission goals: Exploring galaxies and building blocks of life
Scientists have three main goals for the SPHEREx mission. First, they aim to study a cosmic event called inflation. This brief event expanded space a trillion-trillionfold after the big bang. The observatory will map galaxies to understand inflation's physics.

Second, SPHEREx will study light from hidden and visible galaxies. This will reveal the collective glow of cosmic objects. The data will improve understanding of energy and matter distribution.

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Third, it will search for icy compounds like water and carbon dioxide. These icy granules are key to understanding planet formation. Mapping their location and abundance will guide future studies.

PUNCH mission to accompany SPHEREx on Falcon 9
The launch will also carry NASA's PUNCH mission as a secondary payload. PUNCH will include four satellites to study the Sun’s corona. This project aims to learn how solar wind forms and moves.

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center will oversee the launch services. Scientists worldwide eagerly await SPHEREx's insights into cosmic mysteries.