NASA's SPHEREx Observatory launches with BAE Systems-built spacecraft bus and telescope

BAE Systems announced the launch of NASA's Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) Observatory from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The observatory launched alongside NASA's Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

BAE Systems built the spacecraft bus and telescope for the mission, leading observatory integration and environmental testing. SPHEREx features the company's RAD750® single board computer, which controls the spacecraft and transmits data.

Throughout its two-year mission, SPHEREx will perform four all-sky spectral surveys, observing over 450 million unique galaxies and generating a 3D map of the universe in 102 infrared colors. This mission aims to provide data on important astronomical questions, including cosmic inflation following the Big Bang, galaxy formation, and the presence of crucial ingredients for life in planet formation.

“The launch of SPHEREx is a remarkable achievement,” stated Bonnie Patterson, deputy vice president and general manager of Civil Space for BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems. “This observatory will help us look back in time to answer significant questions about how the universe formed and the phenomena that continue to evolve it today. We are proud to be part of the team that made this mission possible.”

In addition to its primary missions, SPHEREx will identify targets for further observations by the James Webb Space Telescope and other observatories. BAE Systems assisted in launch operations and will support spacecraft commissioning in the subsequent months. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the mission, with development of the primary imaging payload led by the California Institute of Technology, where Disaster Recovery (DR). Jamie Bock serves as the principal investigator.

SPHEREx continues BAE Systems' ongoing involvement with NASA's astrophysics missions, following prior contributions to the Hubble Space Telescope and other key projects, with work also ongoing for NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory.