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    NASA’s SPHEREx, PUNCH Spacecraft Encapsulated as Launch Nears

    Technicians and engineers encapsulate NASA' 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 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.

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    Blue Ghost Begins Surface Operations, Captures Descent Video, Sunrise

    Shortly after landing on the Moon March 2, Firefly Aerospace and NASA teams kicked off surface operations for the science and technology instruments on the company’s Blue Ghost lunar lander. Firefly also captured the lunar sunrise and a video during descent and landing. All NASA instruments onboard continue to be healthy and several payloads have […]

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    NASA, SpaceX Update Launch Date for SPHEREx, PUNCH Missions

    SPHEREx and PUNCH spacecraft shown encapsulated in a protective fairing

    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 …

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    SPHEREx and PUNCH Update

    NASA will not hold the SPHEREx and PUNCH prelaunch news conference on Monday, March 3. The agency will share more information as soon as possible.

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    SPHEREx and PUNCH Update

    NASA will not hold the SPHEREx and PUNCH prelaunch news conference on Monday, March 3. The agency will share more information as soon as possible.

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    NASA Science Touches Down on Moon Aboard Firefly Aerospace Lander

    Carrying a suite of NASA science and technology payloads to the Moon, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 touched down on the lunar surface at 3:34 a.m. EST on Sunday. Throughout Blue Ghost’s mission, the agency’s scientific instruments aim to test and demonstrate lunar subsurface drilling technology, regolith sample collection capabilities, global navigation satellite system […]

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    Blue Ghost Begins 9-Minute Braking Burn

    Powered Descent Initiation has begun. During this 9-minute braking burn, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander is fully autonomous, using D’Souza Guidance — a model similar to the guidance used during the Apollo Moon missions — to position itself above the target landing site and pitch over from a horizontal to a vertical orientation. This critical […]

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