NASA Selects Far-Infrared Telescope as First in New Mission Class

Overview: NASA announced Wednesday that it will advance the development of PRIMA (Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics) to a new phase. This mission, which is part of NASA’s Explorers Program and its first in a new class of Probe Explorer missions, aims to explore the history and evolution of the universe.

Key Points: - NASA announced Wednesday that it will advance the development of PRIMA (Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics) to a new phase. This mission, which is part of NASA’s Explorers Program and its first in a new class of Probe Explorer missions, aims to explore the history and evolution of the universe. The telescope, with a 5.9-foot diameter, will survey the universe in far-infrared light starting in 2033 for five years. PRIMA is expected to cost $1.2 billion, not including launch costs. It will complement existing infrared observatories like NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope by probing deeper into radiant energy that only emerges in the far-infrared spectrum. This mission will help answer key questions about planets outside our solar system, galaxy evolution, and the history of dust and heavy elements in the universe. The PRIMA project is managed by JPL and includes contributions from international partners like CNES, ASI, DLR, CSA, KASI, JAXA, and UK Space Agency. NASA’s Explorers Program has a long history dating back to Explorer 1 in 1958, leading to over 100 missions including Nobel-prize winning investigations.

Summary: NASA announced Wednesday that it will advance the development of PRIMA (Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics) to a new phase. This mission, which is part of NASA’s Explorers Program and its first in a new class of Probe Explorer missions, aims to explore the history and evolution of the universe.