NASA SPHEREx mission is set to launch Thursday night, aiming to map over 450 million galaxies. The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) will scan the entire sky four times over two years. Scientists hope to uncover insights into galaxy formation, cosmic inflation, and the origins of water in the Milky Way.
SPHERE x Launch Details
The spacecraft is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Thursday at 10:09 p.m. ET. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry the cone-shaped observatory into orbit. A separate mission will deploy four other small satellites to study the Sun.
What Makes SPHEREx Unique?
This $488 million NASA mission will be the first to map the celestial sky in 102 infrared colors, surpassing previous telescopes. Infrared technology allows astronomers to see through cosmic dust and gas, revealing ancient galaxies and hidden structures.
Using spectroscopy, SPHEREx will split infrared light into different wavelengths, similar to how a prism forms a rainbow. This technique helps scientists analyze a galaxy’s composition, density, temperature, and movement.
Unraveling the Origins of Water and Life
SPHEREx will also investigate the presence of water and organic molecules within the Milky Way. Scientists believe understanding how water formed in space may provide clues about life’s origins on Earth and beyond.
“We can determine the distance to galaxies and trace the fingerprints of water,” said Jamie Bock, principal investigator for SPHEREx and a physics professor at Caltech.
Solving Cosmic Mysteries
One of the mission’s biggest goals is to study cosmic inflation, a theory suggesting the universe underwent a rapid expansion immediately after the Big Bang. NASA SPHEREx mission will examine the three-dimensional distribution of galaxies, helping scientists test theories on how the universe evolved.
“This mission will test inflation models by mapping hundreds of millions of galaxies,” Bock explained.
A New Era of Space Exploration
NASA specialists say SPHEREx might provide unexpected results. We are at a time when we can answer fundamental questions about the universe, said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, temporary chief of NASA’s Astrophysics Division.
SPHEREx will provide groundbreaking data to radically transform our understanding of galaxy evolution, cosmic history, and the universe’s structure.
Source: NBC News
