NASA’s SPHEREx mission aims to unlock cosmic mysteries and search for life

NASA is preparing to launch a groundbreaking new telescope that will deliver the “most colourful” map of the universe ever created.

The SPHEREx telescope, though relatively compact, is set to provide an enormous wealth of data during its two-year mission, Caliber.Az reports via foreing media.

Designed as an infrared telescope, SPHEREx will capture spectroscopic images — images that measure the different wavelengths of light emitted by celestial bodies. By doing this, it will offer crucial insights into the formation of the universe, the development of galaxies throughout cosmic history, and the discovery of water and life-supporting molecules within our galaxy.

Simply put, the mission, set for launch on February 27 (if all goes according to plan), will help us understand the origins of the universe and the emergence of life within it.

A huge leap forward

Everything in the universe, from you to the objects around you, radiates light in a spectrum of colours. Our eyes perceive this light in three main bands — green for trees, blue for the sky, and red for sunsets — to form a recognizable image.

SPHEREx, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, will take this a step further by dividing light from all objects in the sky into 96 bands. This marks a significant advancement, allowing it to cover the entire sky and provide new insights into the chemistry and physics of distant objects.

SPHEREx will complement the work of other infrared telescopes in space, such as the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope, which focus on observing small, high-resolution areas of the sky. For context, the sky is over 15 million times larger than the area the James Webb Space Telescope can observe at once.

While the James Webb Space Telescope will take years to map the sky, SPHEREx will accomplish this in a matter of months.

During its mission, SPHEREx will capture spectroscopic images of one billion galaxies, 100 million stars, and 10,000 asteroids. Its broad sky coverage will address questions that the most powerful telescopes, which focus on high-resolution details, may miss.

Investigating cosmic inflation

The first major goal of SPHEREx is to measure cosmic inflation, the rapid expansion of the universe that occurred shortly after the Big Bang. The exact mechanisms behind this inflation are still not fully understood, making it one of the most critical areas of cosmological research.

Since inflation occurred across the entire universe, astronomers need to map the whole sky to study it effectively. SPHEREx is perfectly equipped for this task, providing a comprehensive view of the cosmos.

Using spectroscopic data, SPHEREx will determine the 3D positions of about one billion galaxies throughout cosmic history. This will allow astronomers to create a picture of the universe, not only in space but also through time, enabling them to test various inflation theories.

Identifying life-bearing molucules

Closer to home, SPHEREx will also focus on identifying water and life-supporting molecules — known as biogenic molecules—within the gas clouds of our galaxy, the Milky Way.

In the coldest regions of our galaxy, these molecules — such as water, carbon dioxide, and methanol — are embedded in icy particles. These frozen biogenic molecules must travel from the cold gas to planets, where life can potentially emerge.

Despite extensive research, the exact process remains largely a mystery. To answer this fundamental question about the origins of life, it is essential to know where these molecules are located.

SPHEREx will provide a complete catalog of icy biogenic molecules within our galaxy and nearby systems. Since these molecules have distinct features in the infrared spectrum, where SPHEREx operates, its sky-wide mapping will allow astronomers to pinpoint their locations.

By identifying where these molecules exist, SPHEREx will reveal the conditions necessary for the formation of life-supporting molecules in space. This discovery could shine a light on a crucial step in the process of life’s emergence.

While other telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope are expected to capture thousands of spectra of biogenic molecules, SPHEREx will collect around 8 million new spectroscopic images, revolutionizing our understanding of life beyond Earth.

Mapping the entire sky will enable astronomers to pinpoint promising regions for life and analyze large-scale data, helping to distinguish meaningful patterns from anomalies. This mission will mark a transformative step in the search for life elsewhere in the universe.

By Tamilla Hasanova