SPHEREx and PUNCH Missions: Exploring the Universe from Stars to Sun

Launch Delay for Dynamic Duo

The highly anticipated launch of NASA's SPHEREx and PUNCH missions has been postponed. Originally scheduled for liftoff aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, the missions are now awaiting a new launch date, sometime in April.

While the delay is undoubtedly a setback, NASA assures us it's merely to allow for additional rocket checkouts. "The additional time will allow teams to continue rocket checkouts ahead of liftoff," according to a NASA update. "A new launch date will be announced once confirmed on the range."

SPHEREx: Unraveling the Universe's Secrets

SPHEREx, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, is on a quest to understand the universe's evolution and pinpoint the origins of life's essential building blocks. Orbiting Earth for over two years, SPHEREx will create an unprecedented map of the sky in 102 colors of infrared light, providing a comprehensive view of over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in our own Milky Way.

This innovative telescope will analyze the composition of celestial objects by splitting infrared light into individual wavelengths, much like a prism. This will allow scientists to identify the chemical fingerprints of distant stars and galaxies.

"We are the first mission to look at the whole sky in so many colors," said Jamie Bock, SPHEREx principal investigator. "Whenever astronomers look at the sky in a new way, we can expect discoveries."

SPHEREx will also search for frozen water, carbon dioxide, and other life-sustaining molecules within the cosmic clouds where stars and planets are born. This data will be invaluable in understanding how these ingredients might be incorporated into new planets.

PUNCH: Illuminating the Sun's Influence

PUNCH, or Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere, is a constellation of four miniature spacecraft designed to study the sun's impact on our solar system. These spacecraft will observe the sun's corona (outer atmosphere) and the solar wind, a constant stream of energized particles emanating from the sun.

Equipped with specialized polarizing cameras, PUNCH will create 3D images of the corona and solar wind, providing unprecedented insights into their interactions and influence on the solar system. This will be the first mission to image both simultaneously.

"What we hope PUNCH will bring to humanity is the ability to really see, for the first time, where we live inside the solar wind itself," said Craig DeForest, principal investigator for PUNCH.

Crucially, PUNCH will observe the sun during its solar maximum, the peak of its 11-year activity cycle, offering valuable data on solar flares and storms, which can impact Earth's communication systems and power grids.

A Powerful Partnership in Space

Both SPHEREx and PUNCH will complement other powerful telescopes like the James Webb and Parker Solar Probe. SPHEREx, a wide-field survey telescope, can identify areas of interest for Webb, a targeted telescope, to examine in detail. Similarly, PUNCH will provide a broader perspective on solar phenomena, complementing Parker Solar Probe's close-up observations.

Dr. Mark Clampin of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate emphasized the missions' importance, stating, "These missions cover the full breadth of the science that NASA does every day...Every minute of the day, NASA science missions are exploring the universe at different scales to really help us understand the universe we live in and understand the sun that keeps our planet alive."