NASA's $488 Million Eye in the Sky: SPHEREx Launches to Unravel Cosmic Mysteries

NASA's newest space telescope, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer), successfully launched into orbit on March 12, 2025. The $488 million mission aims to create a comprehensive 3D map of the entire celestial sky over its two-year mission. SPHEREx will survey more than 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way, using infrared technology to distinguish 102 colors invisible to the human eye. The telescope's data will help scientists study the origins of the universe, investigate cosmic inflation, and search for water and other essential life ingredients in interstellar clouds. SPHEREx is expected to provide valuable insights into galaxy formation and evolution, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos.

 

Source: NASA