NASA to launch 2 major space missions on March 2
What's the story
NASA will launch two major space missions, SPHEREx and PUNCH, on March 2.
Both missions will be launched aboard a SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The liftoff will take place at 10:09pm EST (8:39am IST on March 3).
This joint mission is part of NASA's Launch Services Program, which pairs different science missions with commercial vehicles for cost-effective exploration.
Mission details
SPHEREx: A wide-angle version of James Webb Space Telescope
SPHEREx, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, is a conical white spacecraft. It will serve as a wide-angle version of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
The mission will use information-rich infrared light wavelengths from the distant universe on a much broader scale than JWST.
Solar exploration
PUNCH mission to investigate solar dynamics
The second mission, PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere), will be dedicated to solving the mysteries of solar dynamics.
It involves four satellites orbiting around Earth, aiming to understand how the sun's outer atmosphere or corona turns into solar wind.
This information is important as it affects space weather conditions that can affect our power grid and astronaut health.
Viewing options
How to watch the launch live?
You can catch the launch live on NASA+ or the agency's YouTube channel.
The SPHEREx mission will delve into questions like why cosmic inflation happened just after time began and how water came to Earth to sustain life as we know it.
Meanwhile, PUNCH will study how light's property called "polarization" can reveal directions of different features within our solar wind chamber (including CMEs) and the role of an "artificial solar eclipse" in its success.