Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions were set for liftoff this weekend but are now on hold as SpaceX finalizes Falcon 9 checkouts—new launch date still pending.
Originally planned to share a ride on a single Falcon 9 rocket, SPHEREx and PUNCH are part of NASA’s cost-saving effort to pair missions for more efficient launches.
The joint launch was scheduled from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, aiming to send both spacecraft on their separate scientific journeys in a single rocket trip.
SPHEREx, a wide-view infrared telescope, will map the entire sky to study how galaxies formed and trace cosmic ices—offering a panoramic counterpart to JWST’s sharp zoom.
One of SPHEREx’s goals is to detect ices and organic molecules in space, unlocking clues about the building blocks of life and how water-rich planets might form.
PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) will image the Sun’s outer atmosphere to study how solar wind forms—helping scientists understand space weather threats.
Unlike JWST’s deep focus, SPHEREx will scan vast cosmic neighborhoods, identifying galaxies and interstellar material across the entire sky in infrared light.
PUNCH will create 3D maps of solar wind, tracking how particles leave the Sun and impact Earth’s magnetic field—vital for predicting solar storms.
Though grounded for now, SPHEREx and PUNCH represent the next wave of NASA science missions, blending cosmic exploration with practical solar research to protect Earth.