NASA set to launch SPHEREx telescope to explore what happened right after Big Bang

Sub : Sci

Sec : Space sector

Context:

NASA is preparing to launch the SPHEREx space telescope, a mission aimed at gaining insights into the origin of the universe and searching for water reservoirs within the Milky Way.
The telescope, which is shaped like a megaphone, is set to be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

About SPHEREx space telescope:

The SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) space telescope is a NASA mission designed to explore the origins of the universe and investigate cosmic phenomena by mapping the distribution of galaxies and searching for water in the Milky Way.
One of its primary objectives is to investigate cosmic inflation, the rapid expansion of the universe shortly after the Big Bang, and to map the distribution of galaxies to constrain the physics behind this event.
The observatory is planned for a two-year mission.

Mission Objectives:

Understanding the Universe’s Origins:

SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) will map the distribution of galaxies and investigate the origins of the universe. It will help explore the cosmic inflation theory, which explains the rapid and exponential expansion of the universe after the Big Bang.

Searching for Water in the Milky Way:

Closer to home, SPHEREx will search for water frozen and molecules such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide on the surface of interstellar dust grains in molecular clouds, which are dense regions of gas and dust where stars and planets form. This could provide insights into the formation of water in the universe and its potential role in the origin of life.

3D Mapping:

The observatory will create a three-dimensional map of the universe using 102 distinct wavelengths of light, offering detailed data on over 450 million galaxies and more than 100 million stars in the Milky Way.
SPHEREx will use spectroscopy (the study of objects based on their colour) to observe cosmic sources, splitting light from billions of stars and galaxies into their component wavelengths. This will allow scientists to understand the composition and distance of these objects, creating a 3D map of the universe.