NASA has launched the space telescope named SPHEREx into space. The telescope, set to last for two years, will map over 450 million galaxies during its mission. NASA successfully sent the space telescope called SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) into orbit to understand the origins of the universe and the history of galaxies. The launch carried out by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has sparked great excitement in the scientific community. SPHEREx will scan the sky in infrared light to investigate the expansion of the universe and trace the building blocks of life.

SCIENTIFIC GOALS OF THE MISSION
SPHEREx was designed to understand the early expansion of the universe. This expansion, known as “cosmic inflation,” occurred immediately after the Big Bang and increased the dimensions of the universe by trillions of times. The telescope aims to shed light on the physical foundations of this phenomenon by mapping over 450 million galaxies. Moreover, by creating a 3D map of more than 100 million stars in the Milky Way, it will explore the building blocks of life in our galaxy.

SPHEREx can measure the total light emissions of not only large galaxies but also small, diffuse, or distant galaxies beyond the detection of other telescopes. This will provide a more comprehensive picture of all light sources in the universe.

The scientific goals of SPHEREx are not limited to understanding the history of the universe. The telescope will search for the basic building blocks of life, such as water and carbon dioxide, in interstellar gas and dust clouds in the Milky Way. These findings will help in better understanding the formation processes of new stars and planets.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND OPERATING PRINCIPLE
SPHEREx stands out with its advanced infrared hyperspectral imaging system developed to explore the mysteries of the universe. After collecting light from the sky, the telescope uses a diffraction grating and a combination of linear variable filters to separate this light into 102 detailed spectral channels. This technology allows for detailed recording of the light spectrum obtained from each pixel, enabling in-depth analysis of the chemical elements, energy distributions, and physical properties of stars, galaxies, and the interstellar environment.

SPHEREx’s optical system is specially optimized for low-resolution but extensive spectral analysis. This system enables the detection of details such as chemical elements and energy distributions contained in light at each observation point. Advanced sensors and algorithms can collect data with high sensitivity even from weak light sources, allowing the identification of subtle differences in the universe’s depths.

Moreover, the telescope aims to repeatedly scan the sky during its two-year orbit, recording the spectral signature of each region with changing details over time. This continuous scanning process not only creates a unique spectral map covering a broad area but also offers flexible data to reveal complex processes such as cosmic inflation, galaxy formation, and star evolution. The massive dataset obtained will provide scientists with an unparalleled resource to deeply understand the structural and chemical evolution of the universe.