After a week of waiting, NASA is set to launch two exciting missions tonight, March 10. The SPHEREx and PUNCH missions will travel together aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The launch is scheduled for no earlier than 11:10 p.m. EDT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This mission has faced six delays due to technical issues and weather, but everything is in place for tonight’s launch.
Launch director Denton Gibson expressed confidence in the team’s efforts. “We’ve faced challenges, but everyone has worked hard to get us ready,” he said. The launch readiness review on Friday confirmed they were ready to go. Engineers fixed issues with a tension system that helps protect the spacecraft during ascent. They also repaired a leak in the fairing’s pneumatic system, which is crucial for safely separating the payload.
The SPHEREx mission, which stands for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, aims to map the entire sky in 3D using infrared wavelengths. Over the next two years, this $488 million mission will look at more than 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in our Milky Way. By cataloging these objects, scientists hope to gain insights into the universe’s origin and identify the building blocks of life.
Alongside SPHEREx, the PUNCH mission, short for Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere, will send four satellites into orbit. This $150 million mission will study the sun’s solar wind, focusing on its eruptions and how they affect space weather. One satellite will capture images, while the others measure solar wind, working together to provide three-dimensional views of the sun’s atmosphere.
After launch, both spacecraft will separate from the Falcon 9 within about an hour. SPHEREx will deploy first, followed by PUNCH. The Falcon 9’s first stage will return to the launch site for reuse, creating a spectacular sonic boom that those nearby can hear.
In the critical hour after liftoff, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory team will establish contact with SPHEREx and check its instruments. Key communication moments will occur as the spacecraft flies over specific regions on Earth, giving the team early information about its health.
SPHEREx will primarily use solar power but can operate on battery if needed. In the days following the launch, the spacecraft will remove its lens cap and release any trapped moisture before beginning its science survey about a month later.
PUNCH will undergo similar checks and position itself over three months. Once operational, both missions plan to collect valuable scientific data for at least two years, providing new insights into our universe.
As Fanson stated, “Liftoff is just the beginning.” The next steps are crucial for understanding many cosmic mysteries.
Check out this related article: Breakthrough Discovery: NASA’s IRIS Satellite Validates 19-Year-Old Solar Flare Theory
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