NASA is embarking on an ambitious new mission to create detailed, colorful maps of the sky like never before. The construction of SPHEREx, a space-based observatory, has begun. This extraordinary telescope will map over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in our galaxy, across 96 distinct color bands in the infrared range. Planned as a two-year mission, SPHEREx will map the entire sky, producing two maps annually.
The telescope is being assembled by scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). As they join the telescope’s components together, SPHEREx begins to take form in preparation for its arrival in Earth orbit. The telescope is named SPHEREx – Specto-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer, reflecting its three science missions.
The SPHEREx has three science missions. It will explore the molecular composition around forming stars in our galaxy and search for essential molecules like carbon monoxide. In the distant universe, SPHEREx will study the formation of stars and galaxies, as well as the Epoch of Reionization. Lastly, it will aim to understand how the universe expanded exponentially after its birth, a phenomena known as inflation.
The telescope’s design may appear unusual to some, but it serves a crucial purpose. The cone shapes surrounding the telescope shield it from heat and infrared radiation, allowing it to observe the faint and distant infrared universe. Additionally, SPHEREx must be cooled to incredibly low temperatures to conduct its observations.
Once completed, SPHEREx will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, tentatively scheduled for June 2024. This mission represents a significant advancement in our understanding of the universe and promises to provide unprecedented data and insights for astronomers and scientists.
