NASA's SPHEREx Mission: First Images Confirm System Functionality After Launch

NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) has successfully activated its detectors in space. The initial images captured on March 27, 2025, confirm that all systems are functioning as expected after its launch on March 11, 2025.These initial, uncalibrated images showcase SPHEREx's wide view of the sky. Each image contains over 100,000 light sources, including stars and galaxies. To represent infrared wavelengths, the images were processed with visible-light colors.During its two-year prime mission, the observatory will map the entire celestial sky four times. It will collect light from hundreds of millions of stars and galaxies using spectroscopy. SPHEREx's detectors have cooled to approximately minus 350 degrees Fahrenheit (about minus 210 degrees Celsius).