A groundbreaking achievement in space exploration has been realized as NASA's new SPHEREx space telescope successfully turned on its detectors for the first time. This momentous occasion was marked by the capture of stunning images showcasing tens of thousands of galaxies and stars. The full name of the telescope, the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer, reflects its ambitious mission to explore the cosmos.
The SPHEREx telescope arrived in orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on March 11, 2023. Following its successful launch, NASA released six remarkable images captured by the telescope on March 27. Each of these images was taken by three different detectors and showcases the telescope's extensive field of view—an area approximately 20 times wider than the full moon. Within this vast expanse, around 100,000 light sources, including stars, galaxies, and nebulas, can be observed.
Olivier Doré, a project scientist for SPHEREx at Caltech and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, expressed excitement about the telescope's performance, stating, “Our spacecraft has opened its eyes on the universe. It's performing just as it was designed to.” This successful initiation sets the stage for the telescope to fulfill its mission of mapping the universe.
The total cost for developing and launching the SPHEREx telescope stands at $488 million, a project that has been in the works for nearly a decade. Designed to observe both optical and infrared light, SPHEREx will orbit Earth approximately 14.5 times a day, completing around 11,000 orbits throughout its operational life. Utilizing a technique known as spectroscopy, the telescope will filter infrared light from distant gas and dust clouds, allowing it to gather crucial data.
Once fully operational in April, SPHEREx is set to scan the entire night sky four times using 102 distinct infrared color sensors. This extensive data collection is expected to encompass over 450 million galaxies during its planned two-year mission, averaging about 600 exposures a day. The comprehensive dataset will provide invaluable insights into critical questions in cosmology, enabling astronomers to study galaxies at various evolutionary stages, trace ice in space to explore the origins of life, and examine the rapid inflation period of the universe post-Big Bang.
The wide panoramic view of SPHEREx makes it an ideal complement to the James Webb Space Telescope, guiding it to regions of interest for further detailed studies. Following its launch, NASA scientists and engineers conducted a meticulous series of checks to ensure the telescope's sensitive infrared equipment was cooling down to its operational temperature of around -350 degrees Fahrenheit (or -210 degrees Celsius) and that the focus was accurately set—an adjustment that cannot be made in space.
Based on the breathtaking preliminary images obtained, it appears that the SPHEREx telescope is functioning optimally. As we continue to explore the universe through this innovative technology, the insights gained from SPHEREx will undoubtedly enhance our understanding of the cosmos and our place within it.
