NASA’s SPHEREx Space Telescope
SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) is NASA’s new space telescope.
- Scheduled for launch on February 28 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
- Aims to study the formation of the universe, galaxy evolution, and water and life-forming molecules in the Milky Way.
- Key Features & Objectives:
- Will Create the Most Detailed Cosmic Map:
o Maps the entire sky using optical and infrared light.
o Infrared light provides insights into distant space, star formation, and galactic structures.
o Unlike James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which focuses on
o specific areas, SPHEREx will survey the entire sky.
o102 infrared colours will be used, offering an unprecedented level of detail.
- Will Study Cosmic Inflation:
o Cosmic Inflation: A rapid expansion of the universe that occurred 14 billion years ago.
o Purpose: Investigate why the universe appears flat on large scales.
o Uses spectroscopic imaging to map 3D positions of 450 million galaxies.
o Helps test different theories of cosmic inflation using mathematical and statistical models.
- Will Locate Water & Life-Forming Molecules in the Milky Way:
o Identifies biogenic molecules (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen) frozen in icy particles in cold regions of the galaxy.
o Investigates how these molecules travelled to Earth and contributed to life formation.
o Creates a comprehensive map of these molecules in the Milky Way and nearby systems.
o Helps determine the conditions necessary for life in space.
Detailed Solutions & Explanations
