Photo credit: www.nasa.gov

Navigating the Cosmos: NASA Set to Launch SPHEREx Space Observatory

The innovative SPHEREx observatory, designed like a megaphone, aims to create an extensive infrared map of the universe, addressing fundamental questions about its formation and composition.

Scheduled for launch no sooner than Thursday, February 27, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, NASA’s SPHEREx mission is poised to deliver an unprecedented perspective of the universe. An acronym for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, SPHEREx will survey the entire sky in 102 infrared wavelengths, shedding light on the early universe, its galaxies, and essential elements for life found in our galaxy. Here are six key aspects of this groundbreaking mission.

Understanding Inflation

In the immediate aftermath of the Big Bang, the universe underwent a remarkable expansion known as inflation—an event that occurred nearly 14 billion years ago. This expansion caused the universe to grow exponentially within a fraction of a second. By mapping over 450 million galaxies, SPHEREx will assist scientists in gaining insights into the physics that governed this monumental event, contributing to our knowledge of how the cosmos evolved.

Measuring the Cosmic Glow

Traditionally, scientists have estimated the cumulative light from all galaxies by examining a select few and extrapolating data for the entirety of the cosmos. In contrast, SPHEREx will directly measure the total luminosity emitted by all galaxies, including those that are too faint, diffuse, or distant for current telescopes. This method will allow researchers to create a comprehensive overview of the universe’s light sources, complementing the findings from other observatories that focus on individual galaxies.

Identifying Life’s Building Blocks

Water and carbon dioxide are fundamental components required for life. SPHEREx aims to locate these vital molecules within interstellar clouds where new stars and planets form. By mapping the presence and concentration of these icy elements, the mission will provide critical insights into the materials available for planet formation in our galaxy.

The Bigger Picture

While renowned space telescopes such as Hubble and Webb have provided in-depth observations of specific regions of the universe, SPHEREx will offer a broader view, necessary for answering questions regarding the total light output across the cosmos. The comprehensive sky maps produced by SPHEREx will enable targeted examinations of particular objects using other sophisticated telescopes like Hubble and Webb.

Advanced Infrared Capabilities

SPHEREx is engineered to detect infrared light—a part of the spectrum invisible to the human eye. This capability is crucial for studying celestial bodies. Through a process called spectroscopy, SPHEREx will decompose light into its various wavelengths, similar to how a prism splits sunlight into a spectrum, allowing scientists to gauge distances to cosmic objects and analyze their basic compositions. This advanced spectroscopic mapping will facilitate the discovery of chemical compounds, including water ice, and will also track the brightness of galaxies over different epochs in cosmic history.

Innovative Cooling Technology

To function optimally, SPHEREx’s infrared detectors must maintain extremely low temperatures around minus 350 degrees Fahrenheit (about minus 210 degrees Celsius). To achieve this without complicating its design, the observatory employs a passive cooling system, avoiding the use of electrical power or coolants. This innovative approach relies on three cone-shaped photon shields that protect the telescope from heat generated by Earth and the Sun while directing excess heat into space.

Mission Collaboration

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is managing the SPHEREx mission, working alongside the agency’s Astrophysics Division. BAE Systems has developed both the telescope and the spacecraft. Scientific analysis of SPHEREx data will involve teams from ten institutions in the United States, two in South Korea, and one in Taiwan, with data processing handled at IPAC at Caltech. A principal investigator from Caltech with a concurrent appointment at JPL will lead the mission, and the resulting SPHEREx dataset will eventually be made publicly accessible through the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive.

For further details regarding the SPHEREx mission, please visit:

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/spherex

Source
www.nasa.gov