NASA has scheduled the launch of its SPHEREx and PUNCH missions for late February from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The missions, designed to explore cosmic origins and solar wind dynamics, will lift off aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
Media accreditation is now open for journalists interested in covering the event. U.S. media must apply by Feb. 6, while international media have an earlier deadline of Jan. 20.
Accredited media will have access to prelaunch briefings and interviews with mission scientists.
SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) will create a 3D infrared map of the entire sky, observing hundreds of millions of stars and galaxies.
The mission’s objectives include studying cosmic inflation and identifying key molecules like water and carbon dioxide within the Milky Way.
Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the mission involves global collaboration with scientists from the U.S., South Korea, and Taiwan.
PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) will ride as a secondary payload with SPHEREx. It uses four small satellites to study the Sun's outer atmosphere and its transition to solar wind.
Led by the Southwest Research Institute, this mission aims to deepen understanding of solar dynamics and its effects on space weather.
“Both SPHEREx and PUNCH aim to expand our understanding of fundamental cosmic phenomena,” a NASA spokesperson stated.
Updates on launch preparations and mission details are available on NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH blogs. For Spanish-language inquiries or interviews, NASA has provided specific contact points.
Conclusion
The SPHEREx and PUNCH missions are part of NASA’s ongoing efforts to enhance understanding of cosmic and solar phenomena. By providing publicly accessible data, the missions aim to support advancements in astrophysics and heliophysics globally.
