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    Signal Acquired: NASA’s SPHEREx Begins Science Mission

    NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) mission controllers celebrate acquisition of signal after launch on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

    NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) mission controllers on Earth have received full acquisition of signal from the observatory, indicating the spacecraft is functioning nominally and is power positive.

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    Signal Acquired: NASA’s SPHEREx Begins Science Mission

    NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) mission controllers celebrate acquisition of signal after launch on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

    NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) mission controllers on Earth have received full acquisition of signal from the observatory, indicating the spacecraft is functioning nominally and is power positive.  In the weeks ahead, the SPHEREx team will prepare the observatory for its survey operations – conducting calibrations, …

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    NASA’s PUNCH Satellites Deployed

    NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites are deployed after launching from Space Launch Complex 4 East from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

    Deployment of the PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission’s four satellites has occurred.  Following a 90-day commissioning period, the PUNCH mission is scheduled to conduct science for at least two years.  NASA’s PUNCH will observe the Sun’s corona as it transitions into the solar wind, supporting NASA Science’s key goals by creating …

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    SPHEREx Observatory Separates From Rocket

    NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory separates from a SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage after launching from Space Launch Complex 4 East from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

    NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory has separated from the Falcon 9 rocket’s second stage, on its way to begin its science mission from a sun-synchronous orbit about 404 miles (650 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface.

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    SPHEREx Observatory Separates From Rocket

    NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory separates from a SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage after launching from Space Launch Complex 4 East from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

    NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory has separated from the Falcon 9 rocket’s second stage, on its way to begin its science mission from a sun-synchronous orbit about 404 miles (650 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface.  In about 10 minutes, deployment of the PUNCH (Polarimeter …

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    First Stage Sticks the Landing, Second Stage Engine Cuts Off

    After launching 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, a first stage booster lands at Vandenberg Space Force Base’s Landing Zone 4 in California.

    The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage has successfully landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base’s Landing Zone 4 in California. Meanwhile, the engine in the Falcon 9’s second stage has cut off.  The next milestone will be when the SPHEREx observatory separates from the rocket’s second stage in about 30 minutes.   

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