On March 11, NASA launched its cutting-edge Spherex telescope into space, embarking on a groundbreaking mission to uncover the origins of the universe and identify hidden water reservoirs in the Milky Way galaxy—essential for life. The Spherex, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionisation, and Ices Explorer, was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Over its two-year mission, Spherex will study more than 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way. By creating a 3D map of the cosmos in 102 wavelengths of light, this ambitious project aims to delve into the history and evolution of galaxies. One key focus is exploring cosmic inflation—a phenomenon describing the universe’s rapid expansion from a single point shortly after the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years ago.
Caltech scientist Dr. Phil Korngut highlighted the telescope’s goal to examine “what happened in those very few first instants after the Big Bang,” referencing inflation as the reigning theory behind the universe’s immense expansion.
Spherex will also probe the Milky Way for frozen water and molecules like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide on the surface of interstellar dust grains. Scientists believe these icy reservoirs within molecular clouds are critical to the formation of stars and planets.
Accompanying Spherex in this mission is NASA’s Punch program (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere), which aims to study solar wind and the Sun’s atmosphere. Using four suitcase-sized satellites, the Punch mission will provide a 3D global view of how the Sun’s corona transitions into the solar wind, shedding light on its impact on Earth and the solar system.
These twin missions promise to advance humanity’s understanding of the universe’s origins, cosmic processes, and the potential for life.