NASA's SPHEREx space observatory, set to launch no earlier than February 27, 2025, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, aims to provide a comprehensive view of the cosmos by mapping the entire celestial sky in 102 infrared colors.
SPHEREx, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, will explore several key scientific objectives:
It will investigate the phenomenon of cosmic inflation, which occurred within the first billionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second after the Big Bang, expanding the universe significantly. By mapping over 450 million galaxies, SPHEREx will enhance understanding of the physics behind this event.
The observatory will measure the collective light emitted from all galaxies, including those too faint or distant for other telescopes. This comprehensive measurement will provide insights into the total light output from galaxies throughout cosmic history.
SPHEREx will search the Milky Way for essential life-building molecules, such as water and carbon dioxide, frozen in interstellar clouds. This data will help researchers assess the availability of these compounds in the formation of new planets.
The mission will complement existing NASA telescopes like Hubble and Webb by providing a broad overview of the sky, allowing for targeted studies of objects identified by SPHEREx.
SPHEREx will produce the most colorful all-sky map ever, utilizing spectroscopy to discern the composition of cosmic objects and track the brightness of light emitted by galaxies over time.
The spacecraft's unique cone-shaped design enables it to maintain extremely low operational temperatures, necessary for detecting faint infrared signals from space.
Managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the SPHEREx mission involves collaboration among numerous institutions, with data processing conducted at IPAC at Caltech. The dataset will be publicly accessible, promoting further research in astrophysics.