Nasa launches Spherex and Punch to unravel Sun and stars

Both missions are heading to a Sun-synchronous orbit around Earth's poles, ensuring consistent orientation relative to the Sun throughout the year.

SpaceX launched two significant Nasa missions to explore the Sun and the wider cosmos.

SPHEREx and PUNCH launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Initially scheduled for February 28, the launch had faced several delays due to weather conditions and technical challenges.

SPHEREx, the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer, aims to identify the essential components for life in the Milky Way galaxy.

This near-infrared observatory will survey the entire sky, observing over 450 million galaxies and more than 100 million stars. By doing so, scientists hope to uncover the source of the early universe's inflation and search for organic molecules throughout the universe.

The PUNCH mission, or Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere, consists of four small satellites designed to investigate the Sun's inner heliosphere.

These satellites will provide three-dimensional observations of how the Sun's corona becomes solar wind, offering insights into solar eruptions and their impact on Earth's magnetic field.

Both missions are heading to a Sun-synchronous orbit around Earth's poles, ensuring consistent orientation relative to the Sun throughout the year. This dual launch marks a cost-effective approach, as both spacecraft share the same orbit.

The successful deployment of these missions significantly enhance our understanding of the universe and the Sun's influence on Earth's environment.

The scientific community eagerly awaits the results from SPHEREx and PUNCH, which promises to unveil new insights into the cosmos and our solar system.