NASA’s new space telescope, SPHEREx, is set to launch on February 27 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and embark on a two-year mission to create four complete maps of the entire celestial sky. The $488 million observatory aims to catalog the origins of the universe and identify essential ingredients for life, such as water and carbon dioxide molecules.
Weighing roughly the size of a backyard storage shed, SPHEREx is designed to operate in extreme temperatures of around -350 degrees Celsius. Its unique design features concentric layers of photon shields that protect sensitive optical instruments from heat. Every six months, the telescope will create a comprehensive scan of the sky in 102 infrared colors, differentiating hundreds of millions of galaxies by their ancient light and heat signatures.
The mission’s scope is distinct from that of the Webb and Hubble telescopes, which focus on specific targets with higher resolution. SPHEREx serves as a “big picture” survey of the galaxy, scanning for water ice and other compounds across its vast expanse. While smaller and lighter than Hubble and Webb, SPHEREx excels in conducting wide-field infrared surveys.
The telescope’s range falls entirely within the infrared spectrum, allowing it to detect 102 distinct wavelengths across the entire sky. This enables precise measurements of object composition and distance. With its completion, SPHEREx will provide invaluable insights into the universe’s origins and potential for life beyond Earth.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2025/02/23/nasa-spherex-telescope-map-space-launch/78384759007