NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is set to launch its new telescope, SPHEREx, on Tuesday. The mission aims to study the origins of the universe and provide answers to fundamental questions such as “how did the universe begin?” and “how did galaxies form?”.
The 8.5-foot telescope will conduct an all-sky survey, allowing scientists to observe the entire universe four times over the course of two years. This vast data set will help draw grand conclusions about the universe’s origins.
According to the mission’s deputy project manager, Beth Fabinsky, SPHEREx has a unique capability to detect infrared light with wavelengths that are invisible to the naked eye. The telescope is designed to bridge the gap between existing telescopes and provide new insights into the universe’s early stages.
The Big Bang theory suggests that the universe expanded rapidly in its earliest moments, influencing the formation of our cosmic landscape. However, scientists still do not know what triggered this expansion or why it occurred so extensively. SPHEREx hopes to shed light on these questions and create a clearer picture of how the universe began.
The launch is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:09 p.m. at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Source: https://laist.com/brief/news/jpl-telescope-launch-aims-to-address-some-existential-questions