Category: Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explore

NASA’s SPHEREx, PUNCH Missions Live Coverage Begins

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites, is vertical at Space Launch Complex 4 East from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Saturday, March 8, 2025.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites, is vertical at Space Launch Complex 4 East from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Photo credit: SpaceX

Good evening, and welcome to live launch coverage of NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) missions! 

The SPHEREx mission will search for key ingredients for life in our galaxy and improve our understanding of how the universe evolved. The PUNCH mission will reveal how the Sun’s corona gives rise to the solar wind and space weather that surround our home planet.   

We’re counting down to launch of these two NASA science missions aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 11:10 p.m. EDT (8:10 p.m. PDT). 

Watch live coverage of today’s launch activities on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. 

You can also continue following along right here on the blog as we take you through the entire flight profile for the missions. Today’s launch blog comes to you from the NASA News Center at NASA Kennedy. 

Join the conversation, follow the launch, and get mission updates from these accounts: 

X: @NASA, @NASAJPL, @NASAUniverse, @NASASun, @NASAKennedy, @NASA_LSP 
Facebook: NASA, NASA’s JPL, NASA Universe, NASASunScience, NASA’s Launch Services Program
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAJPL, @NASAUniverse 

For more information about either mission, visit: 

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/spherex/ 

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/punch/ 

NASA, SpaceX Set New Date for Two Science Missions

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sits on a launch pad at dawn. Lights illuminate the rocket from below and the sky is just beginning to lighten on the horizon.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions is vertical on Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on March 8, 2025. Credit: SpaceX

NASA and SpaceX set a new launch date of no earlier than Monday, March 10 for the launch of the agency’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions on a Falcon 9 rocket. With the change to Daylight Saving Time, the launch is now targeted for 11:10 p.m. EDT (8:10 p.m. PDT) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The SPHEREx and PUNCH live launch broadcast will begin at 10:15 p.m., March 10, and stream live NASA+.  

Visit the NASA website for more information about SPHEREx and PUNCH.

NASA Missions ‘Go’ for Launch; News Briefing at 3:30 p.m. EST

SPHEREx and PUNCH spacecraft shown encapsulated in a protective fairing
Technicians and engineers encapsulate NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites within a protective payload fairing inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Photo credit: BAE Systems/Benjamin Fry

A team of launch managers for NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) missions authorized approval to proceed to launch countdown at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California ahead of a scheduled launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday, March 8 at 10:09 p.m. EST (7:09 p.m. PST) from Space Launch Complex 4 East. 

During the Launch Readiness Review on March 7, launch managers from NASA’s Launch Services Program, SpaceX, and the SPHEREx and PUNCH mission teams received an update on the missions’ status and any close-out actions from the previously held Flight Readiness Review. 

NASA will host a prelaunch news conference today at 3:30 p.m. EST (12:30 p.m. PST) to discuss the agency’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions. Coverage of the prelaunch news conference will stream live on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. 

Participants include: 

  • Dr. Mark Clampin, acting deputy associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
  • James Fanson, SPHEREx project manager, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory  
  • David Cheney, PUNCH program executive, NASA 
  • Dr. Denton Gibson, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program 
  • Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science Missions, SpaceX 
  • 1st Lt. Ina Park, launch weather officer, 30th Operations Support Squadron, U.S. Air Force 

Launch day will kick off March 8, with the NASA Launch Preview Show at 12 p.m. EST (9 a.m. PST), streaming on NASA+. NASA’s launch broadcast is set to begin at 9:15 p.m. EST (6:15 p.m. PST) on NASA+, YouTube, the NASA app, and other digital channels. 

Visit the NASA website for more information about SPHEREx and PUNCH.

NASA, SpaceX Update Launch Date for SPHEREx and PUNCH Missions

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than Saturday, March 8, for the launch of the agency’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions. The additional time will allow SpaceX to complete rocket preparations ahead of liftoff.

The launch window opens at 10:09 p.m. EST (7:09 p.m. PST) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California

The prelaunch news briefing now is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7, with coverage streaming live on NASA+. Media may ask questions via phone. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

The SPHEREx and PUNCH live launch broadcast will begin at 9:15 p.m., Saturday, March 8, and stream live on NASA+.

Visit the NASA website for more information about SPHEREx and PUNCH.

NASA’s SPHEREx, PUNCH Spacecraft Encapsulated as Launch Nears

Technicians and engineers encapsulate NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites within a protective payload fairing inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.   SPHEREx will use its telescope to provide an all-sky spectral survey, creating a 3D map of the entire sky to help scientists investigate the origins of our universe. PUNCH will study origins of the Sun’s outflow of material, or the solar wind, capturing continuous 3D images of the Sun’s corona and the solar wind’s journey into the solar system. Liftoff aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is targeted for NET 10:09 EST (7:09 p.m. PST), Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at Space Launch Complex 4 East from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Technicians and engineers encapsulate NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites within a protective payload fairing inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Photo credit: BAE Systems/Benjamin Fry

Technicians and engineers completed encapsulation of NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites within a protective payload fairing inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Sunday, March 2. 

The payload fairing serves as a barrier to the harsh environment of the atmosphere during launch and ascent. Liftoff of SPHEREx and PUNCH on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is targeted for no earlier than 7:09 p.m. PST (10:09 p.m. EST) on Thursday, March 6. 

The SPHEREx observatory is 8.5 feet tall, 10.5 feet wide and deep, with a solar panel that produces around 750 watts of power. The PUNCH mission features four 140-pound small satellites, each about 1-by-2-by-3 feet in size. At launch, the integrated SPHEREx and PUNCH stack will weigh around 1,667 pounds.  

The SPHEREx mission will view the sky in infrared light, a range of wavelengths not visible to the human eye, collecting data on more than 450 million galaxies along with more than 100 million stars in the Milky Way over a two-year planned mission. PUNCH will study origins of the Sun’s outflow of material, or the solar wind, capturing continuous 3D images of the Sun’s corona and the solar wind’s journey into the solar system.  

Stay connected to NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions by following and tagging these accounts:  

X: @NASA, @NASAJPL, @NASAUniverse, @NASASun, @NASAKennedy, @NASA_LSP 
Facebook: NASA, NASA’s JPL, NASA Universe, NASASunScience, NASA’s Launch Services Program
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAJPL, @NASAUniverse 

For more information about these missions, visit: 

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/spherex/ 

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/punch/  

NASA, SpaceX Update Launch Date for SPHEREx, PUNCH Missions

SPHEREx and PUNCH spacecraft shown encapsulated in a protective fairing
Technicians and engineers encapsulate NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites within a protective payload fairing inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than Thursday, March 6, for the launch of the agency’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions. The additional time will allow teams to complete vehicle processing and prelaunch checkouts.

The launch window opens at 10:09 p.m. EST (7:09 p.m. PST) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The SPHEREx mission (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) will improve our understanding of what happened in the first second after the big bang and search for key ingredients for life in our galaxy. The PUNCH mission (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) will observe the Sun’s corona as it transitions into the solar wind.

The prelaunch news briefing now is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, with coverage streaming live on NASA+. Media may ask questions via phone. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

The SPHEREx and PUNCH live launch broadcast will begin at 9:15 p.m., Thursday, March 6, and stream live on NASA+.

Visit the NASA website for more information about SPHEREx and PUNCH.

NASA, SpaceX Update the Launch of Space Telescope and Sun Missions

Technicians integrate NASA’s four PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites to the evolved expendable launch vehicle secondary payload adapter array ring inside the Astrotech Space Operations Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. The PUNCH mission is launching as a rideshare with NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory.
Technicians integrate NASA’s four PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites to the evolved expendable launch vehicle secondary payload adapter array ring inside the Astrotech Space Operations Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. The PUNCH mission is launching as a rideshare with NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory. Photo credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Joe Davila

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than Sunday, March 2, for the launch of the agency’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions. The new date will allow additional time for teams to perform rocket processing ahead of liftoff. The launch time is targeted for 10:09 p.m. EST (7:09 p.m. PST) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The SPHEREx mission (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) will improve our understanding of what happened in the first second after the big bang and search for key ingredients for life in our galaxy. The PUNCH mission (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) will observe the Sun’s corona as it transitions into the solar wind.

The prelaunch news briefing now is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, with coverage streaming live on NASA+. Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

The SPHEREx and PUNCH live launch broadcast will begin at 9:15 p.m., Sunday, March 2, and stream live NASA+.

Visit the NASA website for more information about SPHEREx and PUNCH.

NASA, SpaceX Move Launch of Space Telescope, Sun Missions

NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer), a space telescope, is situated on a work stand ahead of prelaunch operations at the Astrotech Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. SPHEREx will enter a polar orbit around Earth and create a 3D map of the entire sky, gathering information about millions of galaxies for scientists to study what happened after the big bang, the history of galaxy evolution, and the origins of water in planetary systems in our galaxy.
NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer), a space telescope, is situated on a work stand ahead of prelaunch operations at the Astrotech Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. SPHEREx will enter a polar orbit around Earth and create a 3D map of the entire sky, gathering information about millions of galaxies for scientists to study what happened after the big bang, the history of galaxy evolution, and the origins of water in planetary systems in our galaxy. Photo credit: BAE Systems/Benjamin Fry

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than 10:09 p.m. EST (7:09 p.m. PST) on Friday, Feb. 28, for the launch of the agency’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions. The new date will allow additional time to ensure the vehicle’s readiness ahead of liftoff. SPHEREx and PUNCH will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The SPHEREx mission (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) will improve our understanding of what happened in the first second after the big bang and search for key ingredients for life in our galaxy. The PUNCH mission (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) will observe the Sun’s corona as it transitions into the solar wind.

The prelaunch news briefing now will be held at 3:30 p.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 27, with coverage streaming live on NASA+. Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

The SPHEREx and PUNCH live launch broadcast will begin at 9:15 p.m. EST, Friday, Feb. 28, and stream live on NASA+.

Visit the NASA website for more information about SPHEREx and PUNCH.