12 March 2025 Roku rocket Falcon 9 successfully launched two NASA scientific missions into orbit: SPHEREx to study the infrared universe and PUNCH to study the solar wind.
Launch and features of missions:
- Falcon rocket 9 started from the base of the US Space Force in Vandenberg 03:10 UTC.
- It was launched into orbit:
- SPHEREx is a mission to create an infrared survey of the universe.
- PUNCH is a system of four satellites, that will explore the Sun's corona and the solar wind.
- All satellites are operational and transmitting data.
NASA decided to launch both missions together, using the Falcon's excess cargo capacity 9, which is part of a new strategy to optimize launches.
SPHEREx: A new look at the universe:
- SPHEREx is a cost Explorer class mission 488 million dollars, which creates an infrared map of the sky in 102 wavelengths.
- Basic scientific tasks:
- A study of the early universe and the period of inflation after the Big Bang.
- Analysis of the formation of galaxies throughout the history of the universe.
- Study of water and organic materials in the Milky Way.
- The satellite was developed by BAE Systems and uses an innovative lightweight telescope, optimized for low temperatures.
PUNCH: Three-dimensional mapping of the solar corona:
- PUNCH is a costly mission 150 million dollars, consisting of four small satellites.
- The task of the mission:
- Study of the solar corona and its transition into the solar wind.
- Observation of coronal mass ejections (CME) and their impact on the Earth.
- For the first time in history, three-dimensional maps of the solar corona will be created.
Source: https://spacenews.com/falcon-9-launches-nasa-astrophysics-and-heliophysics-missions/