Successful Launch! SPHEREx Explores the Origins of the Universe and Interstellar Water

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2025-03-13

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On the evening of March 11 (Eastern Time), NASA successfully launched the SPHEREx space telescope into orbit, embarking on a mission to explore the history of the universe and search for interstellar water. Carried by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the launch marks a significant breakthrough in the study of cosmic evolution and astrophysical chemistry.

One of the primary objectives of this mission is to gain a deeper understanding of cosmic inflation following the Big Bang. Phil Korngut, a scientist from the California Institute of Technology, stated that SPHEREx aims to uncover events that occurred in the instant the universe was born, searching for critical traces from the very brief period after the Big Bang.

In addition to studying cosmic expansion, SPHEREx will assist in identifying key components for life, such as water and carbon dioxide, within the Milky Way. The telescope will use infrared observations to analyze the distribution of water molecules in interstellar dust clouds and track the formation of planetary systems. Shawn Domagal-Goldman, Acting Director of NASA's Astrophysics Division, emphasized that this mission will help identify conditions suitable for life in the universe and may provide vital clues for future exoplanet exploration.

Furthermore, the launch included another mission, PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere), a system of four small satellites designed to study the interaction between the solar corona and the solar wind. The data collected by PUNCH will improve the accuracy of space weather forecasts and mitigate the impact of solar storms on satellites and Earth's power systems.

This mission represents a significant step forward for NASA in exploring the origins of the universe and the solar system's environment. With data from SPHEREx and PUNCH, scientists hope to unravel more mysteries about cosmic and stellar evolution.

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