NASA’s newest space telescope, the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer (Spherex), was successfully launched into orbit on Tuesday, embarking on a mission to map the entire sky with unprecedented scope.
The observatory aims to survey hundreds of millions of galaxies and analyse their collective cosmic glow dating back to the dawn of time.
The SpaceX Falcon rocket lifted off from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying Spherex and four suitcase-sized satellites designed to study solar activity.
Shortly after launch, Spherex separated from the rocket’s upper stage, entering space with Earth’s blue sphere in the background.
With a budget of $488 million, the Spherex mission is set to unravel the mysteries of galaxy formation and evolution spanning billions of years while shedding light on the universe’s rapid expansion in its formative moments.
Additionally, within the Milky Way, it will search for water and other life-sustaining elements in the icy clouds that foster new planetary systems.
The telescope, which weighs approximately 500 kilogrammes—comparable to the mass of a grand piano—will take six months to conduct its first full-sky survey using its infrared capabilities.
Over two years, it is programmed to complete four such surveys while orbiting 650 kilometres above Earth’s poles.
Unlike NASA’s more sophisticated Hubble and James Webb space telescopes, which offer detailed glimpses of individual galaxies, Spherex will focus on capturing the integrated glow emitted by vast cosmic structures, including the earliest galaxies formed post-Big Bang.
“This cosmological glow captures all light emitted over cosmic history,” remarked Jamie Bock, the mission’s chief scientist from the California Institute of Technology.
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“It’s a very different way of looking at the universe,” he noted, emphasising how this technique could reveal previously overlooked sources of cosmic light.
By examining this cumulative glow, astronomers hope to distinguish the traces of the universe’s earliest galaxies, providing critical insights into their genesis.
Bock added, “We won’t see the Big Bang. But we’ll see the aftermath from it and learn about the beginning of the universe that way.”
Spherex’s infrared detectors boast the capability to differentiate 102 colours imperceptible to the human eye, creating the most comprehensive and vividly detailed cosmic map ever compiled.
“It’s like looking at the universe through a set of rainbow-coloured glasses,” remarked Beth Fabinsky, deputy project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
To maintain its infrared detectors at an optimal temperature of minus 210 degrees Celsius, Spherex employs an innovative thermal design comprising three aluminium-honeycomb cones nested within one another.
This configuration serves as a protective shield against the Sun and Earth’s heat, resembling a towering, ten-foot collar akin to a veterinary protective device for dogs.
Besides deploying the Spherex telescope, the Falcon rocket also launched NASA’s Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission, consisting of four small satellites.
Operating from an independent polar orbit, these satellites will observe the Sun’s corona and its resulting solar wind, contributing to the study of space weather dynamics.
The launch had faced a fortnight’s delay due to technical challenges associated with the rocket and other components.
However, with Tuesday’s successful lift-off, NASA embarks on another ambitious journey to unlock the secrets of the cosmos.
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