NASA Launches New Telescope to Uncover the Secrets of the Universe and the Big Bang

NASA launched a new space telescope named SphereX on Tuesday evening, aiming to document the history of the universe’s formation through the “Big Bang” and explore the key components of life beyond Earth. The telescope is also set to create a 3D map of more than 100 million stars in the Milky Way galaxy, as well as 450 million other galaxies.

Launch and Technology

The new telescope was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The telescope also carries a separate mission called Punch, or the “Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere,” which works alongside SphereX to create an unprecedented map of the universe. This mission promises to revolutionize space weather forecasting, according to Megan Cruz, a NASA commentator.

Goals of the Mission

Shawn Domagal-Goldman, Acting Head of the Astrophysics Division at NASA, confirmed that the new telescope will complement the work of other telescopes, such as the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope will address fundamental questions like: “How does the universe work? How did we get here? Are we alone?” He added, “The launch of each new telescope contributes to the formation of a comprehensive scientific fleet that allows us to answer these complex questions through unique and unprecedented methods.”

Technical Details About the Telescope

SphereX will orbit the Earth 14.5 times a day at an altitude of 650 kilometers. It will complete over 11,000 orbits during its two-year primary mission. The telescope will capture comprehensive images of the sky using wavelengths near infrared light, which are invisible to the human eye. It will also split light into 120 colors using spectral analysis technology, which helps determine the distance to celestial bodies and understand their formation history.

Shawn Domagal-Goldman described the telescope by saying, “Imagine you’re a photographer in a forest. The James Webb Space Telescope focuses on a tree or bird’s nest, while SphereX is the panoramic lens that gives you a comprehensive image of the entire forest.”

Exploring the Universe and Supporting Life

With a cost of $488 million, SphereX will search for hidden reserves of water, carbon dioxide, and other particles that could support life. It will do this by examining the gas and dust clouds between stars that are witnessing the birth of stars and planets. The telescope will also measure cosmic inflation, a period of rapid expansion of the universe immediately after the Big Bang.

NASA’s statement confirmed that the universe expanded a trillion trillion times during the first trillionth of a trillionth of a second after the Big Bang. According to the statement, SphereX will help scientists understand the vast distribution of the universe’s matter by mapping over 450 million galaxies.

The “Punch” Mission to Study Solar Winds

In addition to SphereX, the Punch mission, consisting of four small satellites, aims to study the origins of solar winds. It will help improve space weather predictions, such as solar flares, which affect daily life by causing power outages and disrupting satellites.

Nicholeen Viall, a scientist in the Punch mission, stated: “The Punch mission will revolutionize our understanding of space weather and how it propagates through the inner solar corona to Earth.”

Conclusion

These new scientific missions represent a significant step toward uncovering the secrets of the universe. They mark a major advancement in our understanding of cosmic phenomena and their impacts on Earth, enhancing scientists’ ability to explore and engage with the universe’s developments.

source : NASA